- 


PRACTICAL    TREATISE 


ON   THE 


CULTIVATION 


THE    GRAPE    VINE 


ON   OPEN    WALLS. 


BY    CLEMENT    HOARE 


BOSTON, 
WILLIAM    D.    TICKNOR 

Comer  of  Washington  and  School  Streets. 

1837. 


\ 


UCSB   LIBRARY 


PRACTICAL    TREATISE 


CULTIVATION 


OF 


THE    GRAPE    VINE 


ON    OPEN    WALLS. 


BY    CLEMENT    HOARE. 


FIRST   AMERICAN   EDITION. 


BOSTON, 
WILLIAM    D.   TICKNOR. 

1337. 


Entered,  according  to  an  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1837,  by 

WILLIAM    D.    TICKNOR, 
in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


Marden  &  Kiinball,  Printers, 
3  School  Street. 


To  the  Members  of  the  Horticultural  Society  of  Massa- 
chusetts. 

GENTLEMEN : 

Permit  me  to  dedicate  to  you  a  reprint  of  MR.  Ho  ARE'S 
PRACTICAL  TREATISE  ON  THE  CULTIVATION  OF  THE  GRAPE  VINE 
ON  OPEN  WALLS.  I  am  persuaded  that  a  cursory  perusal  of  it  will 
indicate  the  causes  of  the  general  failure  of  our  vines,  and  that  a  strict 
adherence  to  the  severe  discipline  so  clearly  illustrated  by  the  author, 
will  restore  the  confidence  of  the  horticulturists  of  Boston  and  its  vi- 
cinity in  the  capacity  of  their  climate  to  mature  in  the  open  air  some 
of  the  best  varieties  of  foreign  grapes. 

This  Treatise  has  been  submitted  to  the  judgment  of  a  dis- 
tinguished horticulturist  :  his  unqualified  approbation  of  the  work  is 
annexed,  and  will  receive  from  the  reader  the  respect  which  has  been 
long  rendered  to  his  experience. 

That  this  work  may  renew  the  zeal  of  those  of  your  mem- 
bers who  have  labored  long  in  the  vineyard  without  adequate  re- 
ward, is  the  wish, 

Gentlemen, 

Of  yours,  respectfully, 

GEORGE  W.  BRIMMER. 
Boston,  September  4,  1837. 


To  G.  W.  BRIMMER,  ESQ. 

I  return  you  the  TREATISE  ON  THE  CULTIVATION  OF  THE 
GRAPE  VINE  ON  OPEN  WALLS,  by  Mr.  HOARE,  with  many  thanks 
for  your  kindness  in  leaving  it  so  long  in  my  hands.  I  have  read 
this  little  book  with  great  pleasure  and  interest,  and  have  de- 
rived much  valuable  information  from  its  pages.  The  general  prin- 
ciples laid  down  by  the  author,  although  applied  to  the  culture  of  the 
vine  on  open  walls,  are,  in  my  opinion,  highly  valuable  as  fundamental 
rules  for  the  treatment  of  this  plant  in  all  situations,  whether  indoor  or 
out,  on  open  walls  or  open  trellisses,  in  town  or  country,  —  in  fact, 
wherever  the  grape  vine  is  cultivated  as  an  edible  fruit.  Although 
Mr.  Hoare's  mode  of  training  the  vine  differs  essentially  from  that 
commonly  practiced  by  gardeners,  yet  the  leading  principle  of  his 
practice  will  apply  equally  well  to  the  training  of  vines  on  rafters  in 
grape  houses  ;  and  I  am  by  no  means  sure  that,  where  the  roof  of  the 
house  alone  is  appropriated  to  the  cultivation  of  this  fruit,  that  his  mode 
of  training  might  not  be  adopted  with  advantage  even  under  glass. 
I  have  been  for  many  years  in  the  habit  of  raising  bearing  shoots  from 
arms  formed  in  the  manner  described  by  Mr.  Hoare  ;  but  I  have  un- 
fortunately allowed  those  arms  to  extend  too  far  from  the  stem  of  the 
vine,  and  the  consequences  pointed  out  by  him  have  been  invariably 
produced  throughout  my  grape-houses.  I  have  eight  or  ten  vines  of 
this  description,  of  an  age  and  size  to  be  put  into  bearing  during  the 
next  year  and  the  year  after,  and  which  have  not  been  allowed  to 
injure  themselves  by  bearing.  I  trust  I  may  be  able  to  test  his  prac- 
tice on  these  vines,  by  adhering  strictly  to  his  rules. 

Under  Mr.  Hoare's  plan  of  cultivation,  any  man  who  owns  a 
brick  house  in  any  town  not  north  of  Massachusetts,  may,  if  his  yard 
be  open  to  the  south  in  any  degree,  raise  as  many  grapes  as  will  supply 
his  family,  without  an  expense  of  more  time  or  money  than  is  usually 
wasted  in  idleness.  Indeed,  on  the  common  wooden  houses  and  fences 
with  which  our  yards  are  surrounded,  good  and  abundant  crops  may 
be  had  by  putting  up  cheap  trellisses,  which  would  be  paid  for  in  two 
or  three  years  after  the  vines  get  into  bearing.  But  the  rules  laid 
down  by  Mr.  Hoare  must  be  adhered  to,  especially  in  not  altamptine; 
to  fruit  the  vines  before  they  are  of  a  proper  age  and  si:e  ;  when  I 
fully  believe  that  patience  will  be  amply  compensated. 


VI  LETTER. 

I  hope  you  will  think  it  worth  while  to  have  Mr.  Hoare's  Trea- 
tise reprinted,  as  it  will  induce  many  persons,  who  have  means,  to 
undertake  the  cultivation  of  this  healthful  and  delicious  fruit ;  and,  by 
their  example,  will  lead  to  a  general  propagation  of  the  vine  through- 
out the  State. 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  ob't  Serv't, 

SAMUEL  G.  PERKINS. 
Brookline,  September  1,  1837. 


To  the  Right  Honorable  the  Earl  of  Arran. 

MY  Loan: 

I  feel  great  pleasure  in  dedicating  the  following  Treatise  on  the 
Vine  to  your  Lordship,  as  the  warm  and  generous  patron  of  every 
improvement  in  the  science  of  horticulture. 

In  endeavoring  to  disseminate  the  knowledge  of  an  improved 
mode  of  cultivating  the  grape  vine,  and  thereby  to  open,  almost,  a 
new  source  of  agreeable  domestic  enjoyment,  and  of  profitable  recrea- 
tion, I  consider  it  an  honor  to  receive  the  powerful  aid  of  your  Lord- 
ship's countenance  and  approbation. 

In  the  earnest  hope  that  Providence  may  be  pleased  to  prolong 
for  many  years  the  benevolent  and  useful  lile  of  your  Lordship,  I  beg 
to  subscribe  myself, 

With  great  respect, 

Your  Lordship's  obliged 

And  humble  Servant, 

THE  AUTHOR. 


PREFACE. 


THERE  is'not,  that  I  am  aware  of,  any  work  extant  in  the  English 
language,  that  exclusively  treats  of  the  vine,  except  the  "  Treatise  on 
the  Culture  of  the  Vine,"  written  by  Speechly,  in  the  year  1789. 
That  work,  however,  though  undoubtedly  a  valuable  one,  and  shew- 
ing on  the  part  of  the  author  a  thorough  practical  knowledge  of  the 
nature  of  the  vine,  in  reference  to  its  culture  under  glass,  is,  yet,  not 
sufficiently  full  nor  explicit  with  regard  to  the  management  of  that 
plant,  when  cultivated  on  the  open  wall.  Hence  the  principal  reason 
of  the  appearance  of  this  volume. 

In  compiling  it,  I  have  endeavored,  in  as  plain  and  as  concise  a  man- 
ner as  the  nature  of  the  subject  would  admit,  to  embody  all  the  neces- 
sary points  of  culture  with  the  principles  on  which  they  are  founded, 
and  to  arrange  them  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make  their  practical  appli- 
cation a  matter  of  easy  attainment.  I  have,  also,  excluded  every- 
thing of  a  technical  nature,  and  have,  in  many  instances,  not  scrupled 
to  use  a  phraseology  different  from  that  usually  employed  by  writers 
on  horticulture.  In  adopting  this  course,  my  object  has  been  to  ren- 
der the  work  more  generally  useful;  and  especially  so  to  the  more  hum- 
ble part  of  the  rural  population,  by  enabling  them  to  avail  themselves 
without  difficulty  of  the  directions  contained  in  it,  and  thereby  the 
more  readily  to  induce  them  to  turn  their  attention  to  the  cultivation 
of  a  plant  which  is  capable  of  adding  to  their  comforts  and  increasing 
their  enjoyments  in  a  much  greater  degree  than  has  been  hitherto  sup- 
posed. 

The  details  of  many  operations  relative  to  the  culture  of  the  vine, 
that  have  been  heretofore  inserted  in  works  on  gardening,  have  been 
excluded  in  the  present  work,  for  the  simple,  and  I  trust  satisfactory 
reason,  that  the  operations  themselves,  when  submitted  to  the  test  of 
experience,  have  been  found  either  of  uncertain  issue  or  of  very  ques- 
tionable utility. 

It  remains  only  to  observe,  that  although  the  routine  of  manage- 
ment recommended  in  the  following  pages  is  the  result  of  many  years' 
diligent  investigation,  and  of  patient  observation,  and  rests  therefore 


X  PREFACE. 

on  the  firm  basis  of  actual  experience  ;  I  have  no  reason  to  expect, 
nor  do  I  desire,  indeed,  that  this  treatise  should  be  considered  as  wor- 
thy of  the  patronage  of  the  public,  otherwise  than  in  proportion  to 
the  value  and  usefulness  of  the  improvements  it  is  designed  to  intro- 
duce in  the  culture  of  that  most  grateful  of  all  fruit  trees,  the  GRAPE 
VINE. 

Sidlesham,  near  Chichester, 
December  30,  1834. 


CONTENTS. 


Chap. 

Introduction.        ______-_.  I. 

Observations  on  the  present  method  of  cultivating  Grape 
Vines  on  open  walls.  -------  II. 

On  the  capability  and  extent  of  the  fruit-bearing  powers  of 
the  Vine. m. 

On  Aspect.  ----------      IV. 

On  Soil. V. 

On  Manure.         --         -------      VI. 

On  the  construction  of  Walls.      ------      VII. 

On  the  propagation  of  Vines.       -        -        -        -        -        -  VIII. 

On  the  pruning  of  Vines.     -------      IX. 

On  the  training  of  Vines.     -        -        -        -        -        -        -X. 

On  the  management  of  a  Vine  during  the  first  five  years  of 
its  growth.  ___.----_  XI. 

Weekly  Calendarial  Register.       ------  XII. 

General  Autumnal  pruning.          ------  XIII. 

On  the  winter  management  of  the  Vine.       -  XIV. 

Descriptive  Catalogue  of  twelve  sorts  of  Grapes  most  suita- 
bly adapted  for  culture  on  the  open  wall.  -  -  -  -  XV. 


TREATISE. 


CHAPTER    I  . 

INTRODUCTION. 

The  Grape  Vine,  VITIS  VINIFEHA.      Class  and  order,  PENTANDRIA 
MONOGYNIA  of  Linnaeus. 

"  THE  grape  vine  is  a  trailing,  deciduous,  hardy  shrub, 
with  a  twisted  irregular  stem,  and  long  flexible  branches, 
decumbent,  like  those  of  the  bramble,  or  supporting  them- 
selves when  near  other  trees,  by  means  of  tendrils,  like 
the  pea.  The  leaves  are  large,  lobed,  entire,  or  serrated 
and  downy,  or  smooth ;  green  in  summer,  but  when  ma- 
ture, those  of  varieties  in  which  the  predominating  color 
is  red,  constantly  change  to,  or  are  tinged  with  some 
shade  of  that  color ;  and  those  of  white,  green,  or  yellow 
grapes,  as  constantly  change  to  a  yellow,  and  are  never  in 
the  least  tinged  either  with  purple,  red,  or  scarlet.  The 
breadth  of  the  leaves  varies  from  five  to  seven  or  ten 
inches,  and  the  length  of  the  foot  stalks  from  four  to  eight 
inches.  The  flowers  are  produced  on  the  shoots  of  the 
same  year,  which  shoots  generally  proceed  from  those  of 
the  year  preceding ;  they  are  in  form  of  a  raceme,  of  a 
greenish-white  color,  and  fragrant  odor,  appearing  in  the 
open  air  in  this  country  in  June  ;  and  the  fruit,  which  is 
of  the  berry  kind,  attains  such  maturity  as  the  season  and 


14  INTRODUCTION. 

situation  admit,  by  the  middle  or  end  of  September.  The 
berry  or  grape,  is  generally  globular,  but  often  ovate,  oval, 
oblong,  or  finger-shaped ;  the  colors  green,  white,  red, 
yellow,  amber,  and.  black,  or  a  variegation  of  two  or  more 
of  these  colors.  The  skin  is  smooth,  the  pulp  and  juice 
of  a  dulcet,  poignant,  elevated,  generous  flavor.  Every 
berry  ought  to  enclose  five  small  heart  or  pear-shaped 
stones ;  though,  as  some  generally  fail,  they  have  seldom 
more  than  three,  and  some  varieties  as  they  attain  a  certain 
age,  as  the  ascalon,  or  sultana  raisin,  none.  The  weight 
of  a  berry  depends  not  only  on  its  size,  but  on  the 
thickness  of  its  skin,  and  texture  of  the  flesh,  the  lightest 
being  the  thin-skinned  and  juicy  sorts,  as  the  sweetwater 
or  muscadine."  —  London's  Encyclopaedia  of  Garden- 
ing. 

Of  all  the  productions  of  the  vegetable  world,  which 
the  skill  and  ingenuity  of  man  have  rendered  conducive 
to  his  comfort,  and  to  the  enlargement  of  the  sphere  of 
his  enjoyments,  and  the  increase  of  his  pleasurable  grati- 
fications, THE  VINE  stands  forward  as  the  most  pre-emi- 
nently conspicuous.  Its  quickness  of  growth,  — the  great 
age  to  which  it  will  live ;  so  great  indeed  as  to  be  un- 
known, —  its  almost  total  exemption  from  all  those  adverse 
contingencies  which  blight  and  diminish  the  produce  of 
other  fruit-bearing  trees,  —  its  astonishing  vegetative  pow- 
ers,—  its  wonderful  fertility,  —  and  its  delicious  fruit,  ap- 
plicable to  so  many  purposes,  and  agreeable  to  all  palates, 
in  all  its  varied  shapes,  combine  to  mark  it  out  as  one  of 
the  greatest  blessings  bestowed  by  Providence  to  promote 
the  comfort  and  enjoyments  of  the  human  race. 

From  the  remotest  records  of  antiquity,  the  vine  has 
been  celebrated  in  all  ages  as  the  type  of  plenty  and  the 
symbol  of  happiness.  The  pages  of  Scripture  abound 
with  allusions  to  the  fertility  of  -the  vine  as  emblematical 


INTRODUCTION.  15 

of  prosperity ;  and  it  is  emphatically  declared,  in  describ- 
ing the  peaceful  and  flourishing  state  of  the  kingdom  of 
Israel  during  the  reign  of  Solomon,  that  "  Judah  and  Is- 
rael dwelt  safely,  every  man  under  his  vine  and  under  his 
fig-tree,  from  Dan  even  to  Beersheba."  The  source  of 
enjoyment  thus  mentioned  to  record  the  happy  state  of 
the  Jewish  nation,  may  be,  with  reference  to  the  vine,  lit- 
erally possessed  by  the  greater  portion  of  the  inhabitants 
of  this  island. 

The  native  cbuntry  of  the  vine  is  generally  considered 
to  be  Persia,  but  it  has  been  found  wild  in  America,  and 
is  now  become  naturalized  in  all  the  temperate  regions  of 
the  world.  In  the  northern  hemisphere,  it  forms  an  im- 
portant branch  of  rural  economy  from  the  21st  to  the  51st 
parallel  of  latitude,  and  by  an  improved  method  of  cul- 
ture, very  fine  grapes  may  be  annually  grown  on  the 
surface  of  walls,  in  the  open  air,  as  far  north  as  the  54th 
parallel,  and  even  beyond  that  in  favorable  seasons. 

The  vine  is  supposed  to  have  been  introduced  into  Bri- 
tain at  the  commencement  of  the  Christian  era ;  and  his- 
tory amply  proves,  that  for  a  long  series  of  ages,  vineyards 
were  very  common  in  the  southern  parts  of  this  island, 
and  that  the  quantity  of  wine  produced  from  them  was  so 
great  as  to  be  considered  one  of  the  staple  products  of  the 
land.  From  some  cause  or  other,  however,  they  have 
fallen  into  general  neglect,  although  good  grapes  might  be 
grown  on  vines,  trained  as  espaliers,  or  in  the  same  manner 
as  in  the  vineyards  abroad,  from  which  excellent  wine 
could  be  made  at  a  cost  that  would  not  exceed  that  of 
moderately  strong  beer.  Why  vineyards  should  have  so 
completely  disappeared,  it  is  difficult  to  say,  since  there 
are  many  thousands  of  acres  of  poor  land  that  are  of  little 
value  in  an  agricultural  point  of  view,  but  on  which  vines 
would  flourish  and  produce  abundant  crops  of  grapes,  and 
yield  thereby  a  most  profitable  return. 


16  INTRODUCTION. 

Vines  are  now  cultivated  in  this  country  only  against 
walls,  upon  the  roofs  of  buildings,  and  under  glass.  The 
expense  attending  the  growing  of  grapes  under  glass,  is 
such,  however,  as  obviously  to  place  that  method  out  of 
the  reach  of  the  mass  of  the  people  ;  and  vineyard  cul- 
ture, now  that  it  has  fallen  into  disuse,  is  perhaps  consid- 
ered so  much  in  the  light  of  a  commercial  speculation, 
that  those  who  have  the  means  of  practising  it,  are  de- 
terred from  employing  them,  from  an  apprehension  that 
the  risk  and  uncertainty  attending  it  would  prove  more 
than  sufficient  to  counterbalance  its  advantages.  But  the 
cultivation  of  vines  on  open  walls  being  free  from  these 
and  all  other  objections,  presents  an  advantageous  method 
of  producing  grapes,  which  may  be  embraced  by  every 
person  who  has  at  his  command  a  few  square  feet  of  the 
surface  of  a  wall.  This  mode  of  culture  indeed,  offers  to 
the  possessors  of  houses,  buildings,  and  walled  gardens, 
and  even  to  the  most  humble  cottager,  ample  means  of 
procuring  with  the  greatest  certainty  an  abundant  supply 
of  this  most  valuable  fruit.  It  is  not  too  much  to  assert, 
that  the  surface  of  the  walls  of  every  cottage  of  a  me- 
dium size,  that  is  applicable  to  the  training  of  vines,  is 
capable  of  producing  annually  as  many  grapes  as  would 
be  worth  half  the  amount  of  its  rental.  Every  square 
foot  of  the  surface  of  a  wall  may  in  a  short  space  of  time 
be  covered  with  bearing  wood,  sufficient  to  produce  on  an 
average  a  pound  weight  of  grapes,  and  I  have  frequently 
grown  double  that  quantity  on  the  same  extent  of  sur- 
face. 

From  this  it  will  be  seen  how  valuable  the  surfaces 
of  walls  are,  and  what  advantages  are  lost  by  those  who 
suffer  any  portion  of  them  to  remain  vacant.  Nor  must  it 
be  supposed,  that  a  single  vine  requires  for  its  training  a 
large  portion  of  walling.  That  it  does,  I  am  aware,  is  a 


INTRODUCTION.  17 

very  common  notion,  but  it  is  a  very  erroneous  one,  and 
one  that  has  no  doubt  arisen  from  the  universally  defec- 
tive method  of  pruning  and  managing  that  plant ;  whereby 
the  wood  is  suffered,  and  indeed  encouraged  to  extend 
itself  most  disproportionately  beyond  the  capability  of  its 
fruit-bearing  powers.  I  scarcely  ever  allot  more  than  from 
forty  to  fifty  square  feet  of  surface  for  one  vine,  and  unless 
the  soil  and  situation  be  very  superior  indeed,  a  single  vine 
will  require  a  space  of  time  not  less  than  twenty  years  at 
least,  before  it  will  possess  a  sufficient  degree  of  strength 
to  enable  it  to  mature  annually,  a  greater  quantity  of 
grapes  than  can  be  trained  on,the  last  mentioned  extent  of 
surface.  On  a  wall  only  twenty-five  inches  in  height,  arid 
eighteen  feet  in  length,  I  have  for  years  trained  a  vine  that 
is  a  perfect  picture  of  fertility,  the  whole  surface  of  the 
wall  being  every  year  literally  covered  with  fine  grapes 
close  down  to  the  very  stem  of  the  plant.  It  will  thus  be 
seen,  that  small  detached  portions  and  vacant  spaces  of 
the  surface  of  walls,  which,  in  innumerable  instances,  are 
deemed  of  no  value,  and  are  therefore  neglected,  may  be 
turned  to  a  most  beneficial  account  in  the  production  of 
the  fruit  of  the  vine. 

And  with  reference  to  the  importance  of  the  culture  of 
the  vine,  as  affording  a  most  valuable  and  highly  esteemed 
fruit,  it  deserves  especial  remark,  that  for  the  making  of 
wine,  not  only  are  ripened  grapes  applicable  to  that  pur- 
pose, but  from  the  leaves,  tendrils,  and  young  shoots  of 
vines,  and  also  from  unripe  or  immature  grapes,  very  fine 
wine  may  be  made,  differing  in  no  respect  from  many  sorts 
of  wines  imported  from  abroad,  as  the  following  extract 
from  Dr.  Macculloch's  "Remarks  on  the  Art  of  making 
Wine,"  will  sufficiently  show. 

"Chemical  examination  has  proved  that  the  young 
shoots,  the  tendrils,  and  the  leaves  of  the  vine,  possess 


18  INTRODUCTION. 

properties  and  contain  substances  exactly  similar  to  the 
crude  fruit.  It  was  no  unnatural  conclusion  that  they 
might  equally  be  used  for  the  purposes  of  making  wine. 
Experiments  were  accordingly  instituted  in  France  for 
this  purpose,  and  they  have  been  repeated  here  with  suc- 
cess. From  vine  leaves,  water,  and  sugar,  wines  have 
been  thus  produced  in  no  respect  differing  from  the  pro- 
duce of  the  immature  fruit,  and  consequently  resembling 
wines  of  foreign  growth." 

Here,  then,  is  a  most  important  advantage  resulting  from 
the  culture  of  the  vine,  and  one  indeed  that  is  little  inferi- 
or to  that  which  is  derived  from  the  production  of  the  ri- 
pened fruit  itself.  And  in  order  that  it  may  be  properly 
estimated,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that  throughout  the 
growing  season,  the  superabundant  foliage  of  a  vine,  which 
consists  chiefly  of  the  extremities  of  the  shoots,  and  the 
tendrils,  is  so  great  as  to  require  to  be  plucked  off  once  in 
every  seven  days,  if  not  oftener.  It  is  further  stated  in 
the  above  mentioned  work,  that  from  forty  to  fifty  pounds 
weight  of  leaves,  &c.  will  produce  about  ten  gallons  of 
wine. 

Now,  every  hundred  square  feet  of  the  surface  of  a  wall 
when  covered  with  the  foliage  of  vines  in  vigorous  growth, 
will  yield  on  an  average  every  week,  from  the  middle  of 
May  to  the  first  of  August,  two  pounds  weight  of  ex- 
cess of  foliage.  Allowing,  therefore,  the  surface  of  the 
walls  of  a  common-sized  cottage  to  contain  five  hun- 
dred square  feet,  on  which  vines  could  be  trained,  it  ap- 
pears, that  during  the  eleven  weeks  above-mentioned,  they 
would  yield  a  sufficient  quantity  of  foliage  to  produce  up- 
wards of  twenty  gallons  of  wine,  which  could  be  made 
for  the  mere  cost  of  the  sugar ! 

Again,  there  would  be  a  considerable  quantity  of  foliage 
to  spare  during  the  remaining  months  of  August  and  Sep- 


INTRODUCTION.  19 

tember,  to  which  must  be  added  the  excess  in  the  number 
of  bunches  of  green  fruit,  which  require  cutting  off  after 
the  berries  are  set  in  order  to  avoid  overcropping  the  vines, 
and  which  sometimes  amount  to  a  great  number  ;  and  also 
the  berries  that  are  cut  out  in  the  thinning  of  the  bunches, 
the  weight  of  which  is  always  considerable ;  and  these 
being  added  to  the  former,  would,  at  the  most  moderate 
calculation,  yield,  in  the  whole,  thirty  gallons  of  wine, 
thus  produced  from  the  superabundant  foliage  and  green 
fruit  of  vines  trained  on  the  surface  of  a  cottage  !  Bear- 
ing in  mind,  therefore,  these  important  facts  which  cannot 
be  controverted,  it  will,  I  think,  be  readily  acknowledged, 
that  too  great  a  degree  of  importance  can  scarcely  be  at- 
tached to  the  cultivation  of  the  vine. 

The  management  of  this  plant  is  in  itself,  also,  one  of 
the  most  pleasing  and  most  interesting  branches  of  horti- 
cultural practice.  And  it  may  with  truth  be  asserted,  that 
of  all  the  occupations  that  can  be  resorted  to  for  the  pur- 
poses of  recreation,  those  connected  with  the  garden  are 
the  most  delightful.  From  these,  indeed,  spring  many  of 
the  most  elegant  enjoyments  of  life,  and  the  exercise  of 
them  is  at  once  a  source  of  health,  of  contentment,  and  of 
unalloyed  and  tranquilizing  pleasure.  So  congenial  to  our 
ideas  of  happiness  is  the  recreation  afforded  by  a  garden, 
that  there  is  scarcely  any  one  to  whom  the  possession  of  it 
is  not  an  object  of  strong  desire. 

Yet  to  a  very  numerous  class  of  persons,  the  inhabitants 
of  towns,  this  source  of  enjoyment  is,  in  a  great  measure, 
cut  off. 

The  vine,  however,  can  be  cultivated  equally  as  well  in 
a  town  as  in  the  country,  and  in  very  many  instances  the 
means  for  that  purpose  are  possessed  in  a  much  greater 
degree  than  in  the  country.  The  immense  accumulation 
of  buildings  in  towns,  and  their  suburban  districts,  and 


20  INTRODUCTION. 

also  those  of  the  metropolis  itself,  present  an  astonishing 
extent  of  surface  of  walling,  well  calculated  to  ripen  the 
fruit  of  the  vine.  The  only  obstacle  to  the  growth  of 
that  plant  in  towns,  is  the  impurity  of  the  atmosphere  ; 
but  though  -this  impediment  is  sufficiently  formidable  cer- 
tainly, it  exists  only  in  the  heart  of  London,  and  its  dense 
and  crowded  districts,  and  in  those  of  other  large  towns. 

I  am  persuaded  therefore,  that,  if  the  method  of  culti- 
vating the  vine  on  correct  principles,  and  the  certainty 
which,  under  proper  management,  never  fails  to  attend  the 
production  of  its  fruit,  were  more  generally  known,  its 
propagation  and  culture  would  increase  both  in  town  and 
country  to  an  extent  that  at  present  can  scarcely  be  con- 
ceived. 

It  is  for  the  purpose  of  diffusing  a  mode  of  cultivating 
this  valuable  plant,  which  is  more  definite  and  simple  in 
its  nature  than  any  that  has  hitherto  been  promulgated, 
and  by  which  the  quantity  of  its  fruit  may  be  prodigiously 
increased,  and  the  flavor  greatly  improved,  that  the  follow- 
ing pages  have  been  written.  It  is  hoped  that  the  whole, 
management  of  the  vine  is  therein  made  sufficiently  clear 
to  enable  every  person  who  possesses  facilities  for  the 
growing  of  grapes,  to  employ  them  in  the  most  advanta- 
geous manner  in  the  production  of  this  highly  esteemed 
fruit. 


PRESENT    METHOD    OF     CULTIVATING,    &C.  21 


CHAPTER    II. 


OBSERVATIONS     ON    THE     PRESENT     METHOD     OF      CULTIVATING 
GRAPE    VINES    ON    OPEN    WALLS. 

THERE  is,  I  believe,  no  branch  of  practical  horticulture, 
which  the  possessors  of  gardens  are  so  deficient  in  the 
knowledge  of,  as  in  that  which  embraces  the  culture  of 
the  grape  vine ;  and  yet,  singular  as  it  may  appear,  there 
is  no  fruit-tree  of  any  description  that  grows  in  this  coun- 
try, that  can  be  depended  upon  with  such  certainty  for  a 
full  crop,  or  that  will  yield  so  ample  a  return,  as  a  vine 
judiciously  cultivated  on  the  open  wall. 

Let  any  person  in  the  month  of  September,  make  a 
tour  of  inspection  through  the  southern  counties  of  En- 
gland, in  which  nearly  every  cottage  may  be  seen  with  a 
grape  vine  trained  on  its  walls.  Let  him  stop  at  intervals 
in  his  journey  and  select  any  number  of  vines  for  exami- 
nation, and  carefully  estimate  the  weight  of  fruit  growing 
on  each,  and  the  extent  of  walling  occupied  in  producing 
that  fruit,  and  having  calculated  the  average  weight  grown 
on  every  square  foot  of  walling,  let  him  then  be  told, 
which  he  may  be  with  truth,  that  at  least  five  times  the 
quantity  of  grapes  of  superior  flavor  might  be  annually 
produced  on  the  same  extent  of  surface.  Let  him  also 
select  any  given  district,  and  estimate  the  number  of  su- 
perficial feet  of  walling  which  the  buildings  in  that  dis- 
trict contain,  and  on  which  nothing  whatever  is  grown,  or 
at  least  nothing  of  any  value,  and  which  might  at  a  tri- 
fling cost  of  time  and  trouble  be  annually  covered  with 
fine  crops  of  grapes,  and  he  will  find  to  his  astonishment, 


22  PRESENT    METHOD     OF     CULTIVATING 

that  for  every  square  foot  on  which  vines  are  trained,  there 
are  at  least  twenty  square  feet  that  are  either  entirely  va- 
cant or  occupied  in  a  useless  manner.  If  he  then  sum  up 
his  calculations,  the  result  will  shew,  that,  for  every  pound 
of  grapes  that  is  now  grown,  not  less  than  a  hundred 
pounds  might  be  annually  produced  on  the  existing  sur- 
face of  walling,  without  the  addition  of  a  single  square 
foot !  Nor  let  it  be  supposed  that  this  estimate  is  made 
hypothetically ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  the  result  of  actual 
inspection  and  careful  observation,  and  is  considerably 
within  the  mark  as  to  the  quantity  of  grapes  that  might  be 
annually  grown.  Every  moderate-sized  dwelling-house 
having  a  garden  and  a  little  walling  attached  to  it,  may 
with  ease  be  made  to  produce  yearly  a  quarter  of  a  ton 
weight  of  grapes,  leaving  a  sufficient  portion  of  its  surface 
for  the  production  of  other  fruit. 

It  is  difficult  to  account  for  the  indifference  which  has 
hitherto  been  manifested  towards  the  propagation  of  the 
vine,  or  to  assign  sufficient  reasons  why  a  fruit  so  univer- 
sally esteemed  as  the  grape,  should  have  remained  sta- 
tionary in  respect  to  any  improvement  in  its  mode  of 
culture. 

I  suspect,  however,  that  the  force  of  custom  and  exam- 
ple will  be  found  amongst  the  chief  operating  causes. 
Scarcely  any  person  when  planting  vines  against  his  prem- 
ises, ever  thinks  of  setting  apart  for  any  one  to  be  trained 
on  a  less  space  of  walling  than  a  hundred  and  fifty,  or 
two  hundred  square  feet,  seeing  that  the  universal  practice 
is  to  suffer  a  single  vine  to  cover  as  quickly  as  possible 
the  entire  surface  of  one  side  of  a  house  or  building,  or  a 
large  portion  of  that  of  a  garden  wall.  And  this  seems  to 
be  done  under  the  idea,  that  the  more  wood  there  is  in  a 
vine,  the  more  grapes  it  will  produce,  or  that  the  one  will 
be  in  proportion  to  the  other.  It  happens,  however,  that 


GRAPE    VINES    ON    OPEN    WALLS.  23 

the  fact  is  precisely  the  reverse.  If  a  vine  be  suffered  to 
make  a  large  quantity  of  wood,  it  will  bear  but  little  fruit  ; 
if  it  produce  good  crops  of  fruit,  it  will  make  but  little 
wood  ;  the  one  checks  the  other.  To  permit  a  vine  there- 
fore to  make  a  great  quantity  of  wood,  under  the  idea  of 
getting  thereby  a  great  quantity  of  grapes,  is  completely 
grasping  at  the  substance,  and  catching  the  shadow. 

Another  reason  why  the  method  of  cultivating  the  vine 
on  open  walls  has  remained  stationary,  may  be  found  in 
the  fact,  that  in  the  gardens  of  the  rich,  where  professed 
gardeners  are  kept,  grapes  on  vines  of  this  description  are 
but  seldom  grown  to  any  extent,  a  sufficient  quantity  for 
the  table  being  brought  to  perfection  under  glass.  Hence, 
one  of  the  principal  sources  from  which  improved  modes 
of  culture  are  in  general  derived,  is  thus  closed,  and  the 
routine  of  management  of  this  most  valuable  fruit  thereby 
consigned  to  the  chances  of  empirical  practice. 

The  grand  parent  error  which  prevails  universally  in  the 
cultivation  of  the  vine  on  walls,  lies  in  the  method  of 
pruning  usually  adopted,. and  this  is  undoubtedly  the  con- 
sequence of  the  nature  of  the  plant  and  its  peculiar  char- 
acteristics being  in  general  but  little  understood.  The 
immense  quantity  of  wood  which  a  vine  annually  pro- 
duces, and  the  force  with  which  its  sap  flows,  causing  its 
most  vigorous  shoots  to  be  formed  at  the  extremities,  ren- 
der it  necessary,  in  order  to  keep  the  plant  in  a  good  bear- 
ing condition,  and  its  branches  within  a  reasonable  dis- 
tance of  its  stem,  that  the  pruning-knife  should  be  used  to 
a  far  greater  extent  than  is  ever  practised  on  any  other  de- 
scription of  fruit-tree  whatever.  The  most  severe  manner 
indeed,  in  which  that  instrument  is  at  any  time  applied  to 
other  trees,  is  as  nothing  when  compared  with  that  re- 
quired by  the  vine. 

In  the  course  of  the  growing  season,  a  vine  in  a  healthy 


24  PRESENT    METHOD    OF     CULTIVATING 

condition  will  make  a  quantity  of  bearing  wood  sufficient 
to  produce  ten  times  as  much  fruit  as  it  can  bring  to  ma- 
turity. When  this  fact  is  considered  in  connection  with 
another,  namely,  that  the  wood  which  bears  fruit  one  year 
never  bears  any  afterwards,  and  is  therefore  of  no  further 
use  in  that  respect,  it  will  easily  be  seen  to  what  a  sur- 
prising extent  the  pruning-knife  must  be  used,  to  get  rid 
of  the  superabundant  wood  which  the  plant  annually  pro- 
duces. But  nine  parts  out  of  ten  of  the  current  year's 
shoots,  and  all  those  of  the  preceding  year,  if  possible,  to 
be  cut  off  and  thrown  away,  is  apparently  so  much  be- 
yond all  reasonable  proportion,  and  the  rules  usually  ob- 
served in  pruning  other  fruit  trees,  that  few  persons  ever 
possess  the  courage  to  attempt  it.  And  herein,  as  re- 
marked before,  lies  the  capital  error  in  the  common 
method  of  managing  the  vine. 

A  vine  in  the  third  or  fourth  year  of  its  growth,  will  in 
general  show  a  few  bunches  of  grapes,  and  these  are  usu- 
ally suffered  to  remain  and  ripen,  instead  of  being  plucked 
off  as  soon  as  they  appear,  having  been  produced  before 
the  plant  has  sufficient  strength  to  mature  them  without 
injury  to  its  constitution.  Although  the  quantity  be 
small,  it  inflicts  a  severe  blow  on  the  vital  energies  of  the 
vine,  from  the  exhausting  nature  of  the  process  of  matu- 
ration. At  the  proper  season  the  pruning-knife  is  applied, 
but  the  operator  being  in  perfect  ignorance  as  to  whether 
the  plant  has  sufficient  strength  to  ripen  any  fruit  or  not 
in  the  following  year,  looks  at  the  young  wood,  and  seeing 
four  or  five  good  strong  shoots,  cuts  them  back  to  as  many 
buds  each,  leaving  perhaps  twenty  in  the  whole.  Sum- 
mer comes,  and  the  vine  having  been  seriously  crippled  by 
the  premature  ripening  of  fruit  in  the  preceding  year,  and 
having  now  twenty  shoots  to  supply  with  nourishment 
instead  of  two  or  three,  the  sap  is  so  diminished  in  quan- 


GRAPE    VINfcS    ON    OPEN    WALLS.  25 

tity,  and  distributed  also  through  so  many  channels,  that 
it  is  incapable  of  forming  an  inch  of  really  good  bearing 
wood.  The  shoots  protrude,  and  though  small,  produce  a 
great  mass,  of  foliage  ;  the  evaporation  from  this  being  far 
too  great  for  its  loss  to  be  supplied  by  the  roots,  a  languid 
circulation  of  the  juices  of  the  plant  takes  place,  and  it 
receives  thereby  a  most  serious  check  in  its  growth.  The 
result  is,  that,  at  the  end  of  the  season,  no  shoots  larger  in 
size  than  that  of  a  small  wooden  skewer  are  to  be  seen 
except  at  the  extremities. 

The  proper  season  arriving,  the  vine  is  again  pruned, 
and  again  eight  or  ten  times  as  many  buds  are  retained  as 
the  plant  can  nourish.  The  same  disproportionate  mass  of 
foliage  follows  of  course,  and  the  same  exhausting  effects 
are  produced  on  the  vital  powers  of  the  plant.  No  bearing 
shoots  are  formed  except  at  the  extremities,  and  these 
being  retained  at  the  autumnal  pruning,  old  blank  wood 
begins  rapidly  to  cover  the  surface  of  the  wall.  The 
method  of  pruning  also,  being  in  general  what  is  called 
the  spurring  method,  tends  more  than  any  other  to  the 
permanent  retention  of  old  wood.  And  thus,  the  vine 
commences  its  fruit-bearing  life  under  the  most  adverse 
circumstances. 

The  same  mode  of  culture  being  followed  in  yearly 
succession,  the  vine  quickly  spreads  over  its  allotted  space 
of  walling,  exceeding  perhaps  two  hundred  or  even  three 
hundred  superficial  feet.  It  then  contains  a  vast  number 
of  long  and  useless  limbs,  on  which  may  be  seen  scores  of 
excrescences  dignified  with  the  name  of  spurs,  producing 
in  the  growing  season  a  superabundance  of  foliage,  with 
but  little  fruit,  and  that  of  an  inferior  description,  and  re- 
quiring in  its  management  a  tenfold  portion  of  time  and 
trouble  beyond  what  would  be  necessary  under  a  proper 
mode  of  culture. 


26  FRUIT-BEARING    POWERS 

To  these  characteristics  of  the  usual  method  of  manag- 
ing a  vine,  may  be  added  two  others  ;  namely,  that  of 
suffering  the  stem  and  principal  branches  to  be  covered 
with  several  years'  accumulation  of  decayed  layers  of 
bark,  and  of  continually  digging  the  border  in  which  the 
roots  run,  and  cropping  it  with  vegetables  even  close  up  to 
the  very  stem. 

This  brief  description  of  the  method  of  cultivating 
vines  on  open  walls,  will  apply,  I  believe,  to  ninety-nine 
out  of  every  hundred  throughout  the  country.  And  it 
may  be  remarked  of  it,  that  during  the  very  first  year  of 
the  plant  having  been  suffered  prematurely  to  ripen  fruit, 
and  throughout  every  successive  year  afterwards,  not  a 
single  point  of  culture  has  been  practised  but  what  may 
be  described  as  most  erroneous.  Every  step  taken  has 
been  apparently  for  the  purpose  of  rearing  a  superstructure 
of  old  barren  wood,  rather  than  the  production  of  abun- 
dant crops  of  fine-flavored  fruit. 

Can  it  be  matter  of  surprise,  therefore,  that  under  such 
a  mode  of  culture,  grapes  grown  on  the  open  wall  do  not 
in  general  attain  to  a  higher  degree  of  perfection  ? 


CHAPTER    III. 


ON    THE    CAPABILITY    AND    EXTENT    OF    THE    FRUIT-BEARING 
POWERS    OF    THE    VINE. 

THERE  is  not  a  single  point  of  culture  in  the  whole  rou- 
tine of  the  management  of  a  vine,  the  knowledge  of  which 
is  of  so  much  importance  as  that  which  enables  the  culti- 


OF    THE    VINE.  27 

vator  to  ascertain  with  precision  the  greatest  quantity  of 
fruit  he  can  annually  extract  from  it,  without  checking  its 
growth  or  injuring  its  vital  powers.  The  operation  of 
pruning,  if  it  be  not  guided  by  this,  is  an  operation  per- 
formed perfectly  at  random,  and  every  inch  of  bearing 
wood  either  cut  out  or  retained  under  such  circumstances, 
is  done  in  utter  ignorance  of  the  consequences,  whether 
they  will  ultimately  prove  injurious  or  beneficial  to  the 
health  and  fertility  of  the  plant.  And  yet,  necessary  as 
is  this  knowledge,  and  without  the  guidance  of  which  in 
pruning,  neither  good-flavored  grapes  nor  good  crops,  can 
with  certainty  be  annually  obtained,  all  the  rules  hitherto 
laid  down  for  the  pruning  of  vines,  have  been  promulga- 
ted, unaccompanied  with  the  slightest  instruction  to  lead 
the  pruner  to  a  knowledge  of  this  most  valuable  point  of 
culture. 

Such,  however,  is  the  importance  of  proportioning  the 
quantity  of  fruit  to  be  matured  to  the  capability  of  the 
plant,  that  in  Miller's  Gardener's  Dictionary  it  is  stared,  in 
reference  to  the  cultivation  of  the  vine  in  foreign  coun- 
tries, "  that  when  gentlemen  abroad  let  out  vineyards  to 
vignerons,  there  is  always  a  clause  inserted  in  their  leases, 
to  direct  how  many  shoots  shall  be  left  upon  each  vine, 
and  the  number  of  eyes  to  which  the  branches  must  be 
shortened ;  because,  were  not  the  vignerons  thus  tied 
down,  they  would  overbear  the  vines,  so  that  in  a  few 
years  they  would  exhaust  their  roots,  and  render  them  so 
weak  as  not  to  be  recovered  again  in  several  years,  and 
their  wine  would  be  so  bad  as  to  bring  a  disreputation  on 
the  vineyard,  to  the  great  loss  of  the  proprietor." 

Here  then,  is  a  distinct  recognition  of  the  fact,  that  the 
flavor  of  grapes  and  the  vital  energies  of  vines  are  mate- 
rially affected  by  overcropping ;  and  that  to  restrain  the 
lessees  of  vineyards  in  foreign  countries  from  practising  so 


28  FRUIT-BEARING    POWERS 

injurious  a  course  of  culture,  the  number  of  eyes  are  actu- 
ally limited,  and  even  made  the  subject  of  special  con- 
tract. Now  if  it  be  necessary  to  observe  such  a  rule  in 
countries  that  are  congenial  to  the  growth  of  the  vine,  and 
where,  from  its  forming  an  important  branch  of  rural  econ- 
omy, it  may  be  reasonably  presumed  the  true  nature  of  the 
plant  is  well  understood,  how  much  more  so  must  it  be  in 
the  latitude  of  Great  Britain,  where,  from  the  deficiency 
of  solar  heat,  and  the  variableness  of  the  climate,  a  greater 
portion  of  the  vital  energy  of  the  vine  is  put  in  requisition 
to  ripen  the  fruit  ? 

And  yet,  who  has  ever  seen,  in  the  English  practice  of 
pruning  vines,  any  rule  observed  of  the  abovementioned 
nature?  In  short,  the  common  method  of  pruning  vines 
on  open  walls  is  the  most  random  operation  imaginable. 

In  very  warm  summers,  the  juices  of  a  vine  plant  are 
more  highly  elaborated  than  usual,  the  sap  being  inspissa- 
ted, or  thickened,  in  a  greater  degree  by  the  increase  of 
solar  heat,  in  consequence  of  which,  it  is  rendered  more 
productive  of  flower-buds  than  leaf-buds.  Shoots  that  are 
considerably  less  in  size  than  those  which  bear  fruit  in  or- 
dinary summers,  will,  after  being  ripened  in  such  a  sum- 
mer, produce  fine  grapes  in  the  following  season  ;  it  is 
next  to  impossible,  therefore,  to  prune  a  vine,  when  all  the 
shoots  are  thus  well  ripened,  so  as  not  to  bear  a  good  crop  of 
fruit  in  the  ensuing  year.  Indeed,  a  person  blindfolded 
may  then  take  a  common  side,  and  chop  away  at  a  vine 
right  and  left,  and  if  he  chance  to  leave  any  young  wood 
at  all  remaining,  that  wood  will  produce  fruit,  because 
nearly  every  bud  formed  in  such  a  summer  becomes  a 
fruit-bud.  In  the  following  year,  almost  every  vine,  how- 
ever injudiciously  managed,  will  be  seen  loaded  with  fruit, 
and  the  year  is  then  called  "  a  grape  year."  In  such  years 
I  have  frequently  seen  vines  groaning  as  it  were  beneath 


OF    THE    VINE.  29 

their  prodigious  number  of  bunches,  and  have  on  such  oc- 
casions invariably  pointed  out  to  the  owners  of  them  the 
certainty  of  the  plants  being  crippled  for  many  years  to 
come,  if  the  whole  quantity  produced  were  suffered  to  re- 
main and  ripen ;  but  no  representation  of  this  sort  made 
by  me  to  any  one,  whether  gardener  or  otherwise,  ever 
had  in  any  instance  the  effect  of  causing  the  excess  in  the 
quantity  to  be  reduced,  even  by  a  single  bunch.  So 
deeply  rooted  seems  to  be  the  belief,  that  because  a  vine 
shews  a  great  number  of  bunches  of  grapes,  it  can  there- 
fore ripen  them. 

Many  years  ago,  1  was  led  to  consider  the  necessity  of 
ascertaining  the  extent  of  the  fruit-bearing  powers  of  vines, 
in  order  to  ensure  their  successful  culture,  by  founding 
thereon  a  system  of  pruning  which  should  be  simple  in 
practice  and  certain  in  its  effects,  being  based  on  the  prin- 
ciple of  proportioning  the  quantity  of  bearing-wood  re- 
tained at  the  autumnal  pruning,  to  the  capability  of  their 
powers  of  maturation.  For  the  attainment  of  that  object, 
therefore,  I  commenced  a  series  of  experiments  on  a  great 
number  of  vines  of  various  ages  and  sorts,  and  trained  on 
every  variety  of  aspect,  south  of  and  including  the  east- 
ern and  western  points  of  the  horizon. 

Knowing  by  previous  experience  that  it  was  possible  to 
load  a  vine  with  such  a  quantity  of  fruit  as  would  com- 
pletely deprive  it  of  life  in  its  endeavors  to  mature  it,  and 
assuming  that  the  circumference  of  the  stem  of  the  plant 
would  form  a  true  index  to  its  vital  powers,  unless  these 
had  been  injured  by  overbearing,  several  vines  remarkably 
vigorous  in  growth,  and  which  had  been  for  three  years 
previously  closely  pruned,  were  in  the  first  place  selected 
for  trial,  for  the  purpose  of  discovering  that  quantity. 
That  point  having  been  ascertained,  it  was  intended  then 
to  select  in  every  succeeding  year  a  fresh  set  of  vines,  and 


30 


FRUIT-BEARING    POWERS 


to  reduce  annually  the  weight  of  fruit  to  be  borne  by  each 
of  them  until  the  actual  quantity  which  any  vine,  in  pro- 
portion to  the  circumference  of  its  stern,  can  perfectly  ma- 
ture without  injury  to  its  vital  powers,  was  correctly  as- 
certained. 

In  accordance  with  this  intention,  the  vines  first  selected 
as  abovementioned,  were  pruned  in  the  autumn  of  1825, 
and  as  much  bearing-wood  retained  as  was  supposed  would 
produce  sufficient  fruit  either  to  kill  them  or  cripple  them 
for  many  year's  to  come.  The  number  of  buds  retained 
on  each  vine,  and  the  circumference  of  its  stem  were  care- 
fully registered  ;  the  ensuing  summer  of  1826,  afforded  a 
remarkably  fine  vintage,  and  was  therefore  a  highly  favor- 
able year  for  the  trial. 

To  describe  the  results,  which,  with  little  variation, 
were  the  same  in  all,  one  vine  may  be  advantageously  se- 
lected. This  was  a  white  muscadine,  in  the  eighth  year 
of  its  age,  and,  like  all  the  rest,  in  the  highest  bearing 
condition  possible.  It  produced  in  the  following  spring 
an  abundant  supply  of  vigorous  bearing  shoots,  and  shewed 
seventy-eight  bunches  of  fine  grapes,  the  produce  of  twenty- 
nine  buds,  retained  on  two  horizontal  right  and  left  shoots. 
As  the  season  advanced,  the  shoots  extended  themselves 
rapidly,  the  bunches  of  fruit  increased  in  size,  and  the 
vine  thrived  as  well  as  usual,  seemingly  quite  unconscious 
of  the  task  it  shortly  had  to  perform.  Blossoming  being 
over,  and  the  fruit  set,  the  trial  of  strength  commenced. 
On  the  first  of  July,  many  of  the  bunches  measured 
eleven  inches  from  the  shoulders  to  the  extremities,  and 
when  matured,  would  have  weighed  a  pound  and  a  half 
each.  They  hung  close  together,  forming,  as  far  as  they 
extended  on  the  wall,  an  entire  and  compact  mass  of 
grapes,  the  weight  of  which,  if  ripened,  would  have  ex- 
ceeded sixty  pounds.  The  middle  of  that  month  arrived, 


OF    THE    VINE.  31 

and  the  berries  had  only  reached  the  size  of  small  peas, 
while  those  on  other  vines,  not  subjected  to  any  such  trial, 
were  full  grown,  and  had  commenced  the  stoning  process. 
On  the  first  of  August,  no  perceptible  increase  of  size  in 
the  berries  had  taken  place,  and  the  vine  began  to  shew 
strong  symptoms  of  exhaustion.  About  the  middle  of  that 
month  the  foliage  assumed  a  withering  appearance,  and  on 
the  first  of  September  the  vegetation  of  the  plant  was  al- 
most at  a  stand.  The  shoots  ceased  to  grow,  the  fruit  and 
foliage  were  in  a  prostrate  condition,  and  the  vital  energies 
of  the  vine  appeared  unable  to  supply  the  daily  increasing 
demand  for  nourishment.  Throughout  that  month  it  con- 
tinued in  a  pitiable  condition,  and  though  a  valuable  plant, 
it  was  nevertheless  suffered  to  take  its  course  as  well  as  all 
the  others,  in  order  that  the  trial  might  be  decisive.  About 
the  first  of  October,  the  greater  part  of  the  berries  having 
grown  as  large  as  middling-sized  peas,  those  on  the  shoul- 
ders of  some  of  the  bunches  began  to  shew  symptoms  of 
ripening,  by  becoming  a  little  transparent ;  and  at  the  same 
time,  the  berries  at  the  extremities  of  the  bunches  began 
to  shrivel.  As  the  month  advanced,  the  ripening  process 
proceeded  slowly,  but  the  shrivelling  increased  rapidly.  To- 
wards the  latter  end  of  October  the  trial  was  over,  and  the 
experiment  complete  ;  on  many  entire  bunches  every  berry 
had  shrivelled,  and  in  no  bunch  had  the  process  of  matu- 
ration proceeded  farther  down  than  the  shoulders.  The 
whole  crop  was  gathered  about  the  first  of  November,  and 
the  ripened  portions  being  put  together,  weighed  nine 
pounds  and  a  half.  Not  one  of  these  ripened  berries,  how- 
ever, was  more  than  half  the  usual  size,  and  in  point  of 
flavor  not  to  be  compared  to  others  of  the  same  sort  ri- 
pened at  least  six  weeks  previously. 

The  vine  was  pruned  immediately  and  cut  almost  to  a 
stump,  to  give  it  every  chance  of  recovering  from  the 


32  FRUIT-BEARING    POWERS 

blow  it  had  received.  But  in  the  following  spring,  not  a 
single  bud  unfolded  till  nearly  a  month  after  the  usual 
time,  and  at  the  close  of  the  season,  the  largest  shoot  was 
only  twenty-six  inches  in  length,  and  no  larger  than  a 
packing  needle,  although  in  the  previous  year  the  vine  had 
emitted  very  vigorous  shoots  twenty-five  feet  in  length. 
It  has  been  pruned  very  closely  every  year  since,  and  has 
in  consequence  gradually  acquired  strength,  but  although 
eight  years  have  elapsed  since  the  experiment  was  made, 
it  has  not  yet  recovered  its  former  vigor.  The  effects 
produced  on  the  other  vines  have  ultimately  proved  equally 
injurious,  not  one  of  them  having  yet  acquired  anything 
like  the  same  degree  of  health  which  it  then  possessed. 

The  result  of  these  experiments  was  decisive  as  to  the 
proportion  of  fruit  having  very  greatly  exceeded  the 
strength  of  the  vines,  some  of  which,  no  doubt  would 
have  died  from  the  effects  of  their  own  fertility,  if  they 
had  not  previously  been  in  an  exceedingly  vigorous  state. 
In  the  following  year,  1827,  another  set  of  vines  was 
selected  for  a  similar  trial  of  strength,  and  only  half  as 
much  fruit  retained  on  each,  as  on  those  of  the  preceding 
year.  This  quantity,  however,  proved  far  too  great,  as 
the  grapes  only  partially  ripened  and  the  vines  were  com- 
pletely crippled  for  several  years  afterwards. 

In  the  three  following  years,  1828,  1829,  and  1830, 
fresh  vines  were  annually  selected  for  similar  experiments, 
and  the  weight  of  fruit  reduced  every  successive  year,  until, 
in  1830,  the  object  in  view  seemed  to  be  attained,  the 
grapes  having  all  been  perfectly  matured  and  the  vital 
powers  of  the  vines  (which  has  subsequently  been  proved) 
not  in  the  least  encroached  upon. 

Other  vines  of  different  ages  were  also  annually  selected 
during  the  above-mentioned  period  from  1826  to  1830,  and 
as  much  fruit  assigned  to  each  of  them  to  ripen,  as  was 
then  thought  equal  to  their  powers  of  maturation.  The 
weight  so  assigned,  has  since  proved  to  have  been  pretty 
near  the  correct  proportion. 


OF    THE    VINE.  33 

The  results  of  all  these  experiments  were  carefully  reg- 
istered from  year  to  year,  and  at  the  close  of  1830,  the 
whole  being  accurately  examined,  it  appeared  clearly  that 
the  capability' of  the  vines  to  mature  fruit  was  in  direct 
proportion  to  the  circumference  of  their  respective  stems. 

Simultaneously  also  with  these  experiments,  several 
young  vines  were  annually  set  apart  for  the  purpose  of  dis- 
covering the  effects  of  early  bearing  on  their  subsequent 
growth,  and  of  ascertaining  the  size  which  the  stem  of  a 
young  vine  must  attain,  before  it  is  capable  of  maturing 
any  fruit  without  injury  to  its  vital  powers.  From  this 
source  much  valuable  information  was  obtained,  and  the 
fact  also  established  that  young  vines  will  always  show 
fruit  before  they  can  ripen  it  without  injuring  their  future 
growth  and  fertility. 

From  the  whole  of  these  experiments,  therefore,  a  scale 
was  then  constructed  in  accordance  with  their  results,  of 
the  weight  of  fruit  which  any  vine  that  has  not  been  pre- 
viously overcropped,  will  bring  to  the  highest  perfection 
which  the  climate  will  permit,  without  impairing  its  vital 
powers,  which  was  the  point  of  knowledge  sought  to  be 
obtained. 

Agreeably  to  this  scale,  which  is  inserted  below,  I 
pruned  in  the  winter  of  1830  nearly  forty  vines  of  differ- 
ent sorts,  and  of  various  ages,  leaving  in  each  no  greater 
number  of  buds  than  appeared  on  an  average  calculation 
to  be  sufficient  to  produce  as  much  fruit  as  the  vine  was 
allowed  to  mature.  In  the  following  summer,  as  soon  as 
the  berries  were  set,  the  number  of  bunches  required  to 
produce  the  given  weight  of  fruit  was  selected  to  remain, 
and  the  excess  immediately  cut  off.  I  have  strictly  ad- 
hered to  this  plan  ever  since,  and  it  has  enabled  me  to 
produce  finer  grapes  than  I  have  ever  seen  or  heard  of 
being  grown  on  the  open  wall  in  this  country.  And  so 
prolific  does  every  vine  become  from  the  hard  pruning 
which  an  adherence  to  this  scale  compels,  that  I  have  fre- 
quently to  cut  off  at  the  proper  period  in  the  summer,  as 


34  FRUIT-BEARING    POWERS 

much  as  one-half,  and  sometimes  even  three-fourths  of  the 
fruit  which  many  of  the  vines  shew,  in  order  to  reduce  it 
to  its  proper  quantity. 

Vines  thus  pruned,  with  the  bearing  wood  annually  ad- 
justed to  their  respective  powers  of  maturation,  being  kept 
within  a  small  compass  on  the  surface  of  the  wall,  are 
easily  managed  throughout  the  summer.  They  never  fail 
to  produce  an  abundant  supply  of  the  finest  description  of 
bearing  shoots  within  a  reasonable  distance  of  their  stems, 
and  always  bring  their  fruit  to  the  highest  degree  of  per- 
fection which  the  climate  will  permit,  with  a  certainty 
which  has  never  yet  attended  the  production  of  grapes  on 
the  open  wall  in  this  country. 

Scale  of  the  greatest  quantity  of  grapes  which  any  vine  can  per- 
fectly mature,  in  porportion  to  the  circumference  of  its  stem,  measured 
just  above  the  ground. 

Ibs. 

Inches 45 

do.   - 50 

do.   ---------  55 

do. 60 

do.    ---------  65 

do. 70 


Cir. 

Ibs. 

Cir. 

7 

^A       An 

10 

71 

4          rln      -"-  . 

-  15 

a 

4£        Jo      ,.  - 

20 

5          rln 

9 

-  90 

QA 

10 

C,A        rln 

-  40 

It  will  be  seen,  that  if  2  1-2  inches  be  deducted  from 
the  circumference  of  the  stem  of  any  vine,  the  capability 
of  it  will  be  equal  to  the  maturation  of  ten  pounds  of 
grapes  for  every  remaining  inch  of  girth.  The  propor- 
tionate quantity  for  fractional  parts  of  an  inch  may  be 
easily  calculated. 

The  circumference  of  the  largest  stem  in  this  scale  is 
ten  inches,  beyond  which  size  I  have  had  no  opportunity 
of  selecting  a  sufficient  number  of  vines  to  enable  me  to 
carry  the  experiments  further  in  a  satisfactory  manner.  I 
have,  however,  at  various  times,  examined  a  great  many 
vines  above  that  size,  and  have  estimated  the  weight  of 
their  respective  crops  at  the  vintage,  and  when  the  whole 
crop  borne  by  any  vine  has  been  perfectly  matured,  and  a 
good  supply  of  fine  vigorous  shoots  for  future  bearing 


OF    THE    VINE. 


35 


wood  produced  simultaneously  in  the  current  year,  the  re- 
sult has  uniformly  been  that  the  weight  of  fruit  has  not 
exceeded  the  proportion  mentioned  in  the  scale.  I  think 
it  not  unreasonable,  therefore,  to  conclude  that  the  same 
proportionate  quantity  will  apply  to  every  vine,  whatever 
may  be  the  girth  of  its  stem. 

No  vine  is  taken  cognizance  of  until  its  stem  measures 
three  inches  in  girth,  as  under  that  size  vines  ought  never 
to  be  suffered  to  ripen  any  fruit.  This  is  a  rule  that 
should  be  strictly  adhered  to  in  the  management  of  young 
vines,  for  it  may  be  safely  asserted,  that  for  every  pound 
weight  of  grapes  extracted  from  a  vine  before  it  has  grown 
to  that  size,  ten  pounds  will  be  lost  during  the  next  five 
years,  independently  of  the  very  severe  check  which  is 
given  to  its  growth  by  premature  bearing.  But  by  hus- 
banding its  strength  till  its  roots  have  multiplied  suffi- 
ciently to  provide  a  full  supply  of  nourishment  without 
suffering  from  exhaustion,  the  plant  commences  its  fruit- 
bearing  life  with  a  degree  of  vigor  which  lays  a  sure 
foundation  for  its  future  prosperity. 

It  may  be  remarked  that,  in  general,  vines  are  suffered 
to  bear  a  much  greater  quantity  of  grapes  than  the  above 
scale  represents,  but  in  all  such  cases  it  will  be  found  that 
they  are  not  perfectly  ripened.  The  grand  desideratum  in 
grapes  when  used  as  table  fruit  is  flavor,  and  this  is  en- 
tirely regulated  by  the  circumstances  under  which  they 
are  ripened.  One  of  those  circumstances  is  the  quantity 
of  grapes  suffered  to  remain  and  ripen,  as  compared  with 
the  strength  of  the  vines.  The  respective  quantities  men- 
tioned in  the  scale  are  such  as  every  vine  of  the  given 
girth  of  stem  can  perfectly  mature,  but  if  these  be  ex- 
ceeded, the  flavor  will  immediately  begin  to  diminish,  and 
the  vine  may  then  be  said  to  be  overcropped.  On  the 
other  hand,  although  a  less  quantity  of  grapes  may  be  ma- 
tured by  a  vine  than  the  proportion  represented  in  the 
scale,  the  flavor  will  not  thereby  be  increased,  in  which 
case  the  vine  will  be  undercropped.  Th'j,  however,  very 


36  FRUIT-BEARING    POWERS 

seldom  happens ;  but  to  go  beyond  the  true  bearing  point, 
and  to  overcrop  a  vine  whenever  the  quantity  of  fruit 
shewn  will  admit  of  it,  is  of  almost  universal  occurrence, 
not  only  on  vines  trained  on  the  open  wall,  but  with  those 
under. glass  also.  It  is  impossible  to  place  this  injurious 
practice  in  too  prominent  a  point  of  view,  for  it  is  the  pro- 
lific parent  of  almost  every  evil  that  can  befal  a  vine,  and 
it  is  really  so  general  that  scarcely  one  vine  in  ten  thous- 
and escapes  it. 

Although,  therefore,  the  proportionate  quantities  men- 
tioned in  the  scale  are  much  less  than  vines  are  frequently 
permitted  to  bear,  they  may  be  regarded  as  a  close  approx- 
imation to  the  greatest  weight  of  fruit  which  can  be  borne 
so  as  to  be  brought  to  the  highest  degree  of  maturation 
which  the  climate  will  permit.  There  may  be  a  little  in- 
crease in  the  powers  of  maturation  of  vines,  when  trained 
on  very  warm  aspects,  but  I  have  never  found  it  to  prevail 
to  any  extent,  nor  to  be  sufficiently  uniform  in  its  occur- 
rence, to  justify  any  variation  in  the  proportions  laid  down 
in  the  scale.  Some  sorts  of  vines,  also,  are  constitution- 
ally disposed  to  show  more  fruit  than  other  sorts,  but  the 
capability  to  mature  the  fruit  is  pretty  nearly  equal  in  all. 
It  may  be  further  remarked,  that  if  a  vine  during  any  sea- 
son be  undercropped,  the  deficiency  may  be  partly  made 
good  the  following  year,  by  causing  it  to  bear  a  consider- 
able portion  more  in  addition  to  its  allotted  quantity.  This 
results  from  the  sap  not  having  been  all  expended  in  ri- 
pening the  fruit.  It  has  in  consequence  accumulated,  and 
the  plant  is  thereby  enabled  to  mature  a  greater  weight  of 
fruit  the  ensuing  season,  than  it  otherwise  could  do,  from 
the  sap  generated  in  the  current  year. 

The  manner  in  which  it  is  intended  that  this  scale 
should  be  practically  applied,  is  to  measure  the  stem  of  a 
vine  at  the  autumnal  pruning,  and  to  retain  no  more  good 
well-ripened  fruit  buds  than  is  supposed  necessary  to  pro- 
duce the  given  weight  of  fruit  which  corresponds  to  its 
girth.  And  if  there  should  be  any  excess  above  that 


OF    THE    VINE.  37 

quantity  in  the  ensuing  summer,  the  crop  must  be  reduced 
to  the  given  weight  by  cutting  off  a  sufficient  number  of 
bunches  as  soon  as  the  blossoming  is  over  and  the  fruit 
set,  as  the  weight  of  it  when  ripened  may  then  be  easily 
estimated. 

With  respect  to  the  number  of  buds  that  are  necessary 
to  be  left  at  the  autumnal  pruning  to  produce  any  given 
weight  of  fruit,  I  have  found  it  to  be  a  good  general  rule 
and  applicable  to  all  those  sorts  of  grapes  usually  cultivated 
on  the  open  wall,  to  consider  every  bud  (rejecting  the  two 
bottom  ones  on  each  shoot)  as  equal  to  the  production  of 
half  a  pound  weight  of  fruit;  —  that  is,  if  the  stem  of  a 
vine  measure  five  inches  in  girth,  its  capability  is  equal  to 
the  maturation  of  twenty-five  pounds  weight  of  grapes, 
and  therefore  the  number  of  buds  to  remain  after  pruning 
will  be  fifty.  This  proportion  would  in  general  be  too 
great,  even  in  the  shyest  bearing  sorts,  but  as  accidents 
frequently  happen  to  the  bunches  during  their  early 
growth,  and  as  there  will  in  general  be  some  buds  that 
will  not  burst,  provision  must  be  made  against  these  cas- 
ualties by  reserving  a  greater  number  of  buds  than  would 
otherwise  be  required.  The  proportionate  number  there- 
fore, abovementioned,  I  have  found  to  answer  well,  and  to 
be  sufficient  to  meet  all  contingencies. 

It  is  necessary  to  observe,  that  all  the  experiments  on 
which  the  scale  is  founded,  were  made  on  vines  growing 
in  50°  46'  north  latitude. 


38  ON    ASPECT. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


ON    ASPECT. 

A  GOOD  aspect,  which  is  of  prime  importance  in  perfect- 
ing the  fruit  of  the  vine,  may  be  termed,  when  considered 
in  reference  to  the  surface  of  walls,  an  amelioration  of 
climate ;  and  soil  and  climate  are  the  two  grand  causes  of 
all  the  differences  which  appear  in  the  productions  of  the 
earth. 

The  warmer  the  aspect,  the  greater  perfection  does  the 
grape  attain  in  our  climate,  provided  all  other  circum- 
stances are  alike  ;  and  if  the  greatest  quantity  of  the  sun's 
rays  shining  on  the  surface  of  a  wall  were  alone  to  be 
considered  as  constituting  the  best  aspect,  there  would  of 
course  be  no  difficulty  in  naming  a  due  southern  one  as 
better  than  any  other.  But  warmth  alone  is  not  sufficient  ; 
shelter  is  equally  necessary.  There  is  a  strong  counter- 
acting agent,  which  as  its  effects  fall  more  or  less  on  any 
surface  of  walling  on  which,  vines  are  trained,  proportion- 
ately injures  them  and  retards  their  growth  and  the  ma- 
turation of  their  fruit.  That  agent  is  the  wind. 

There  is  no  period  in  the  growth  of  a  vine,  from  the 
moment  of  its  being  planted  as  a  cutting  or  otherwise,  to 
the  extremity  of  its  existence,  in  which  any  movement  of 
the  air  that  may  properly  be  called  wind,  will  not  have  a 
greater  or  less  pernicious  effect  on  its  well-being.  The 
perspiration  of  a  vine  is  so  great,  principally  through  the 
medium  of  its  fine  large  leaves,  with  their  broad  surfaces 
disposed  in  such  a  manner  as  to  enjoy  the  full  effects  of 
the  solar  and  atmospherical  influences,  that  an  extraordi- 
nary supply  of  sap  is  required  to  rise  every  instant  of  time 
throughout  the  growing  season  to  enable  it  to  recruit  its 
loss.  On  the  foliage  of  a  plant,  performing  some  of  its 


ON    ASPECT.  39 

most  important  functions  in  such  a  manner,  if  a  strong 
wind  should  blow  at  any  time  for  the  space  only  of  a  few 
hours,  the  flow  of  sap  is  seriously  checked,  evaporation 
proceeds  at  a  most  exhausting  rate,  and  the  leaves  and 
young  shoots  being  speedily  emptied  of  the  moisture  ac- 
cumulated in  their  cells  and  Vessels,  become  rigid,  and 
their  pores  completely  closed.  The  vegetative  powers  of 
the  plant  being  thus  prostrated,  cannot  resume  their  func- 
tions till  after  the  wind  has  ceased  several  hours  or  even 
days,  according  to  its  violence  and  duration. 

I  have  made  repeated  observations  on  the  growth  of  the 
leading  shoots  of  vines  in  the  height  of  the  growing  sea- 
son, and  have  many  times  noted  the  fact  that  during  the 
space  of  twenty-four  hours,  when  the  wind  has  blown 
briskly,  the  shoots  exposed  to  its  influence  have  not  per- 
ceptibly grown  at  all,  while  shortly  afterwards,  the  wind 
having  entirely  sunk  away,  the  same  shoots  have  grown 
upwards  of  three  inches  in  the  same  space  of  time,  the 
temperature  of  the  air  in  a  sheltered  situation  being  alike 
during  each  period. 

And  if  two  young  vines  be  planted  by  the  side  of  each 
other  against  a  wall  exposed  to  the  north,  for  the  purpose 
of  trying  the  experiment  by  excluding  the  influence  of 
the  sun's  rays,  and  one  be  kept  nailed  to  the  wall  every 
five  or  six  inches  of  its  growth  throughout  the  summer, 
and  the  other  be  suffered  to  be  blown  about  without  any 
such  protection  ;  the  former  will  be  found  at  the  end  of 
the  season,  to  have  grown  in  the  size  and  extent  of  its 
shoots,  three  or  four  times  as  much  as  the  latter.  Nothing, 
indeed,  can  be  more  tender  or  less  calculated  to  withstand 
the  effects  of  the  wind  than  the  extremities  of  the  young 
shoots  of  a  vine,  which,  from  being  extremely  porous,  are 
almost  as  susceptible  of  its  withering  influence,  as  the 
sensitive  plant  is  of  the  touch  of  the  hand. 

Many  instances  might  be  circumstantially  detailed  of 
the  injurious  effects  of  the  wind  upon  established  vines 
during  their  summer's  growth ;  two,  however,  of  recent 
occurrence  will  perhaps  suffice. 


40  ON    ASPECT. 

On  the  eleventh  of  Jane,  1833,  a  strong  wind  sprang  up 
early  in  the  morning  from  the  west,  and  increased  in  force 
till  noon,  when  it  blew  quite  a  gale,  and  continued  so  to 
do  throughout  the  day.  It  slackened  a  little  during  the 
night  and  gradually  decreased  in  violence  the  next  day, 
dying  entirely  away  by  the  evening.  The  effects  of  this 
wind  on  a  vine  of  the  white  muscadine  sort  trained  on  a 
wall  having  a  western  aspect  were  carefully  observed.  It 
had  on  a  full  crop  of  fruit  and  a  good  supply  of  fine  young 
bearing  shoots,  and  was  altogether  in  a  most  thriving  con- 
dition. Such,  however,  were  the  injurious  effects  of  the 
wind  in  dissipating  all  the  accumulated  secretions  of  the 
foliage  and  then  closing  almost  hermetically  its  ppres,  and 
thereby  totally  deranging  the  vital  functions  of  the  plant, 
that,  although  in  the  height  of  the  growing  season,  not  the 
slightest  appearance  of  renewed  vegetation  could  be  dis- 
cerned in  any  part  of  its  leaves,  shoots,  or  fruit,  until  the 
third  day  of  July,  or  twenty-two  days  afterwards.  It 
never  produced  another  inch  of  good  bearing  wood  through- 
out the  remainder  of  the  season,  but  lingered  in  a  very 
weak  and  sickly  condition  ;  and  the  fruit,  which  had  been 
previously  estimatad  at  ninety  pounds  weight,  did  not  ex- 
ceed fifty-five  pounds  when  gathered,  and  that  of  a  very 
inferior  description  in  point  of  flavor  and  size  of  berry.  Its 
leaves,  also,  having  been  thus  crippled,  were  shed  prema- 
turely a  month  before  their  natural  time,  and  hence  the 
deficiency  in  the  size  and  flavor  of  the  grapes. ' 

The  other  instance,  which  happened  shortly  afterwards, 
is  still  more  decisive.  On  the  30th  of  August  following, 
about  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  a  strong  wind  began  to 
blow  from  the  south  west,  accompanied  with  heavy  rain. 
At  nine  it  blew  violently,  arid  continued  so  to  do  until 
noon  the  next  day.  It  then  slackened,  and  veering  to  the 
north-west,  died  away  some  time  during  the  following 
night. 

The  full  force  of  this  wind  fell  on  a  remarkably  fine 
black  Hamburgh  vine,  trained  on  a  wall  having  a  south- 


ON    ASPECT.  41 

south-western  aspect,  and  its  effects  were  therefore  propor- 
tionately destructive.  Many  of  the  principal  branches 
were  torn  from  their  fastenings  and  their  extremities 
swept  the  ground.  The  bunches  of  fruit  were  knocked 
about,  and  portions  of  them  as  well  as  single  berries  lay 
scattered  on  the  ground  in  every  direction.  On  the  fruit, 
however,  that  survived  the  wreck,  the  effects  of  the  wind 
were  remarkable.  It  must  be  stated  that  the  wall  on 
which  the  vine  is  trained  is  ten  feet  high,  and  is  so  situ- 
ated, that  to  the  height  of  about  three  feet  from  the  ground 
the  wind  had  but  little  power  over  it,  its  force  being 
broken  by  an  outer  wall  standing  at  a  little  distance  off, 
in  front  of  it.  On  the  lower  part  of  the  wall  so  protected, 
the  grapes  not  having  been  much  injured,  began  to  change 
their  color  and  ripen  about  the  twentieth  of  September, 
and  on  the  twelfth  of  October  every  berry  was  perfectly 
matured;  while  all  those  that  remained  on  the  vine  above 
three  feet  from  the  ground,  were,  on  the  first  of  Novem- 
ber, as  green  and  as  hard  as  on  the  thirtieth  of  August 
when  the  high  wind  occurred.  Shortly  afterwards  these  be- 
gan to  change  their  color,  and  ultimately  ripened  tolerably 
well  by  the  first  week  in  December.  Thus  solely  through 
the  effects  of  a  strong  wind,  there  were  to  be  seen  at  the 
same  time,  on  the  same  branches  of  this  vine  and  within 
nine  inches  of  each  other,  bunches  of  grapes,  the  lower- 
most of  which  were  perfectly  ripe,  while  the  uppermost 
were  quite  green  and  hard,  and  not  within  seven  weeks  of 
reaching  the  same  state  of  maturity. 

These  facts,  which  might  be  multiplied  indefinitely, 
sufficiently  show  the  injurious  effects  of  strong  winds  and 
the  necessity  of  protecting  vines  as  much  as  possible  from 
their  destructive  consequences.  Nor  must  it  be  supposed 
that  high  winds  are  those  only  which  injure  the  vine. 
Every  wind  that  blows  on  the  foliage  of  a  vine,  deranges 
its  functions,  and  thereby  retards  the  growth  of  the  plant 
and  the  maturation  of  its  fruit,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree 
in  proportion  to  its  violence  and  duration. 


42  ON    ASPECT. 

In  the  choice  of  a  good  aspect,  therefore,  shelter  from 
high  or  often  recurring  winds  becomes  a  prime  considera- 
tion ;  and  those  aspects  that  are  the  least  exposed  to  their 
effects  and  that  receive  a  full  portion  of  the  solar  rays, 
may  accordingly  be  deemed  the  best.  There  are,  how- 
ever, in  general,  .so  many  local  circumstances  which  affect 
the  warmth  and  shelter  of  the  surfaces  of  walls  and  build- 
ings, that  these  alone,  where  they  exist,  must  determine 
the  best  aspects  for  the  training  of  vines.  But  if  there  be 
no  such  local  circumstances  to  influence  the  choice  of  asT 
pect,  then  I  have  no  hesitation  in  stating,  from  experience 
and  observation  of  the  qualities  and  flavor  of  the  fruit  of 
the  different  vintages  for  many  years  past,  that  the  best 
aspects  in  which  grapes  can  be  brought  to  the  highest  de- 
gree of  perfection  on  the  open  wall,  that  the  latitude  and 
climate  of  the  southern  parts  of  England  will  permit,  are 
those  that  range  from  the  eastern  to  the  south-eastern  both 
inclusive,  the  last  of  which,  indeed,  may  be  considered 
the  very  best. 

On  walls  having  any  of  these  aspects,  the  sun  shines 
with  full  force  in  the  early  part  of  the  morning,  at  which 
time  there  is  something  highly  favorable  to  vegetation  in 
the  influence  of  his  rays.  These,  darting  nearly  perpen- 
dicularly on  the  foliage  of  a  vine,  while  the  dew  yet  re- 
mains, and  its  beautiful  crystal  drops  hangs  suspended  as 
it  were  by  magic  to  the  angular  extremities  of  the  leaves, 
seem  to  stimulate  the  vital  energies  of  the  plant  in  an  ex- 
traordinary degree,  arid  to  excite  them  to  a  vigorous  exer- 
cise of  all  the  important  functions  appertaining  to  vegeta- 
ble life. 

The  next  best  aspects  are  those  which  follow  in  suc- 
cession from  south-east  to  south.  An  aspect  due  south  is 
undoubtedly  a  very  good  one,  but  its  exposure  to  those 
strong  winds  which  so  frequently  blow  from  the  south- 
west forms  a  great  drawback  to  its  excellence.  The  re- 
maining aspects  are  those  which  range  successively  from 
due  south  to  due  west.  These  are  all  good  ones,  provided 


ON     SOIL.  43 

they  are  sheltered,  or  partially  so,  from  the  destructive  ef- 
fects of  the  high  winds  abovementioned.  North  of  the 
western  point,  the  maturation  of  the  wood  and  fruit  of  the 
vine  becomes  uncertain;  nevertheless,  tolerably  good 
grapes  may  be  grown  on  the  surface  of  a  wall  having  an 
aspect  not  farther  north  than  west  by  north.  There  is, 
however,  another  aspect  that  is  north  of  the  eastern  point 
of  the  horizon,  which  is  a  very  good  one  indeed,  and  that 
is  east  by  north.  On  a  wall  facing  this  point,  the  sun 
shines  till  about  eleven  o'clock  in  the  morning.  I  have, 
for  many  years  past,  brought  several  sorts  of  grapes,  in- 
cluding the  black  Hamburgh,  to  great  perfection  in  this 
aspect.  North  of  this  point,  however,  the  solar  rays  are 
not  sufficiently  powerful  to  mature  either  the  wood  or 
fruit  of  the  vine. 


CHAPTER    V. 


ON     SOIL. 

THE  natural  soil  which  is  most  congenial  to  the  growth 
of  the  vine  and  to  the  perfection  of  its  fruit  in  this  coun- 
try, is  a  light  rich  sandy  loam  not  more  than  eighteen 
inches  in  depth,  on  a  dry  bottom  of  gravel,  stones,  or 
rocks. 

No  sub-soil  can  possess  too  great  a  quantity  of  these  ma- 
terials for  the  roots  of  the  vine,  which  run  with  eagerness 
into  all  the  clefts,  crevices,  and  openings  in  which  such 
sub-soils  abound.  In  these  dry  and  warm  situations,  the 
fibrous  extremities,  pushing  themselves  with  the  greatest 
avidity,  and  continually  branching  out  in  every  possible 
direction,  lie  secure  from  that  excess  of  moisture  which 


44 


ON"    SOIL. 


frequently  accumulates  in  more  compact  soils  ;  and  cling- 
ing like  ivy  round  the  porous  surfaces  of  their  retreats,  ex- 
tract therefrom  a  species  of  food, -more  nourishing  than 
that  obtained  by  them  under  any  other  circumstances 
whatever. 

One  of  the  principal  causes  of  grapes  not  ripening  well 
on  the  open  wall  in  this  country,  is  the .  great  depth  of 
mould  in  which  the  roots  of  vines  are  suffered  to  run, 
which,  enticing  them  to  penetrate  in  search  of  food  below 
the  influence  of  the  sun's  rays,  supplies  them  with  too 
great  a  quantity  of  moisture  ;  vegetation  is  thereby  carried 
on  till  late  in  the  summer,  in  consequence  of  which,  the 
ripening  process  does  not  commence  till  the  declination  of 
the  ,sun  becomes  too  rapid  to  afford  a  sufficiency  of  solar 
heat  to  perfect  the  fruit. 

To  prevent  this,  the  sub-soil  should  be  composed  of  dry 
materials.  It  is  almost  impossible,  indeed,  to  make  a  vine 
border  of  materials  that  shall  be  too  dry  or  porous.  It  is 
not  mere  earth  that  the  roots  require  to  come  in  contact 
with  to  induce  growth  and  extension,  but  air  also,  which 
is  as  necessary  to  them  as  to  the  leaves  and  branches. 
The  excrementitious  matter  discharged  from  the  roots  of  a 
vine  is  very  great,  and  if  this  be  given  out  in  a  soil  that  is 
close  and  adhesive,  and  through  which  the  action  of  the 
solar  rays  is  feeble,  the  air  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  roots 
quickly  becomes  deleterious,  and  a  languid  and  diseased 
vegetation  immediately  follows.  But  if  the  roots  grow  in 
a  soil  composed  of  dry  materials,  mixed  together  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  possess  a  series  of  cavities  and  interstices 
into  which  the  sun's  rays  can  enter  with  freedom  and 
there  exert  their  full  power,  the  air  in  which  the  roots  per- 
form their  functions  becomes  warmed  and  purified,  they 
absorb  their  food  in  a  medium  which  dissipates  their  secre- 
tions, and  a  healthy  and  vigorous  vegetation  is  the  never 
failing  consequence. 

The  roots  of  every  plant  have  a  particular  temperature 
in  which  they  thrive  best,  and  that  which  those  of  the 


ON    SOIL.  45 

vine  delight  in  most,  is  generated  in  a  greater  degree  in 
stony  or  rocky  soils  than  in  any  other.  This  is  easily  ac- 
counted for,  from  the  fact  that  soils  of  this  description  be- 
ing quickly  rendered  dry  by  evaporation,  are  always  free 
from  that  excess  of  moisture  which  is  so  injurious  to  the 
growth  of  the  vine.  ", 

It  may  hence  be  inferred,  that  vines  will  not  flourish  in 
a  cold  wet  soil  nor  in  one  composed  of  a  stiff  heavy  clay. 
Grapes  produced  on  vines  planted  in  such  soils  scarcely 
ever  ripen  well,  and  if  so,  never  possess  the  flavor  of  those 
grown  on  vines  planted  in  a  dry  soil.  Vines  may  be  seen 
in  all  parts  of  the  country,  the  fruit  on  which  looks  well 
during  the  early  part  of  the  season,  but  when  the  ripening 
period  arrives,  the  berries  remain  green  and  hard,  or  other- 
wise they  shriyel  and  decay.  These  results  are  sure  to  be 
produced  when  the  roots  grow  in  a  soil  that  is  too  wet  and 
adhesive,  and  into  which  the  sun  and  air  cannot  freely 
penetrate. 

All  borders,  therefore,  made  expressly  for  the  reception 
of  vines,  ought  to  be  composed  of  a  sufficient  quantity  of 
dry  materials,  such  as  stones  ;  brickbats,  broken  moderate- 
ly small;  lumps  of  old  mortar;  broken  pottery  ;  oyster 
shells,  fyc.  fyc.,  to  enable  the  roots  to  extend  themselves 
freely  in  their  search  after  food  and  nourishment;  to  keep 
them  dry  and  warm  by  the  free  admission  of  air  and  solar 
heat ;  and  to  admit  of  heavy  rains  passing  quickly  through, 
without  being  retained  sufficiently  long  to  saturate  the 
roots,  and  thereby  injure  their  tender  extremities. 

In  preparing  the  border,  then,  the  first  thing  is  to  secure. 
a  dry  bottom.  If  the  soil  and  sub-soil  be  naturally  such 
as  is  described  above  as  the  most  congenial  to  the  growth 
of  the  vine,  nothing  more  is  required  than  to  trench  the 
ground  two  spit  deep,  to  clean  it  well  from  all  weeds  and 
roots,  and  to  make  it  as  .fine  as  possible,  and  it  will  then  be 
in  a  proper  state  to  receive  the  vines. 

But  if  the  sub-soil  be  not  naturally  dry,  it  must  be 
nade  so  by  the  usual  process  of  draining,  which  is  the  ba- 


46  ON    SOIL. 

sis  of  every  improvement  that  can  be  made  in  the  soil. 
The  bottom  of  the  drains  ought,  if  possible,  to  be  four 
feet  from  the  surface,  and  the  drains  a  foot  deep  ;  the  clear 
depth  of  the  border  will  then  be  three  feet.  If  the  soil  of 
this  be  heavy  and  of  a  retentive  nature,  two  thirds  of  it 
ought  to  be  taken  entirely  away,  and  the  remaining  por- 
tion, which  should  be  the  top  spit,  made  very  fine.  The 
deficiency  should  be  made  good  by  adding  an  equal  quan- 
tity of  dry  materials  of  the  abovementioned  description, 
and  of  the  sweepings  of  a  high-road,  all  of  which  must 
be  well  mixed  and  incorporated  together.  If  the  natural 
soil  of  the  border  be  too  sandy  and  light,  the  same  process 
may  be  followed,  with  the  exception  of  the  addition  of 
road-sweepings.  In  lieu  of  these,  should  be  added  a  suf- 
ficiency of  fine  mould,  collected  from  mole-hills,  which  is 
generally  of  a  rich  loamy  nature  ;  or  of  fresh  soil  from 
some  neighboring  meadow  or  common,  which,  if  well  pas- 
tured, will  prove  very  fertile  ;  but  if  neither  of  these  can 
be  procured,  the  deficiency  may  be  made  good  from  the 
top  spit  of  a  field  of  good  arable  land. 

And  of  whatever  nature  the  soil  may  be,  in  which  it  is 
intended  to  plant  vines,  it  ought'  to  contain  at  least  one 
third  of  dry  materials  of  the  abovementioned  description. 

With  respect  to  the  sweepings  of  roads,  I  am  decidedly 
of  opinion  that  those  obtained  from  a  turnpike  road,  or 
from  any  other  high-road  kept  in  a  good  state  of  repair  by 
the  frequent  addition  of  stones,  and  on  which  there  is  a 
considerable  traffic  of  horses  or  other  cattle,  is  the  very 
best  compost  that  can  be  added  to  any  border  intended  for 
the  growth  of  vines.  Its  component  parts,  consisting 
chiefly  of  sand,  gravel,  pulverized  stones,  and  the  residu- 
um of  dung  and  urine,  afford  a  greater  quantity  of  food, 
and  of  a  richer  and  more  lasting  nature  than  can  be  found 
in  any  other  description  of  compost  that  I  have  ever  seen 
or  heard  of  being  used  for  that  purpose.  I  have  on  many 
occasions  opened  the  borders  of  vines  to  examine  the  direc- 
tion of  their  roots,  and  to  discover  the  particular  species  of 


ON    SOIL.  47 

soil  which  they  preferred,  and  I  have  uniformly  found  that 
when  any  portion  of  this  compost  had  been  introduced, 
the  fibrous  extremities  pf  the  roots  had  pushed  themselves 
into  it,  and  multiplied  there  in  a  tenfold  degree  beyond 
those  in  the  adjacent  soil..  I  think,  therefore,  that,  how- 
ever rich  the  soil  of  a  vine  border  may  naturally  be,  a  por- 
tion of  this  compost  may  be  added  to  it  with  the  greatest 
advantage.  It  should  be  scraped  or  swept  off  the  road 
when  it  is  not  so  wet  as  to  cake  together,  nor  so  dry  as  to 
be  bordering  upon  dust,  but  in  a  moderately  dry  state  be- 
twixt the  two  extremes.  It  ought  to  be  mixed  with  the 
other  components  of  the  border  soon  after  it  has  been  col- 
lected from  the  road,  as  all  its  valuable  qualities  will  then 
be  preserved  entire. 

In  putting  the  materials  of  the  border  together,  as  many 
whole  bones  as  can  possibly  be  procured  should  be  inserted 
with  them,  (in  the  manner  hereafter  mentioned  in  the 
chapter  on  manure)  arid  if  these  cannot  be  obtained  in  suf- 
ficient abundance,  then  such  other  substances  as  are  there- 
in recommended  as  manures,  may  be  substituted.  It  is 
desirable  that  the  width  of  the  border  should  not  be  less 
than  eight  feet  if  local  circumstances  will  permit,  but  if 
not,  one  of  less  width  must  suffice.  At  a  convenient  dis- 
tance from  the  bottom  of  the  wall,  a  sufficient  quantity  of 
stones  or  gravel,  but  not  of  a  binding  nature,  should  be 
laid,  to  form  a  path  to  stand  on,  in  order  to  perform  with 
cleanness  and  facility  those  necessary  operations  on  the 
vines  which  are  almost  daily  required  throughout  the  sum- 
mer. 

The  border  should  be  perfectly  level,  or,  if  a  sloping 
surface  cannot  be  avoided,  the  descent  must  be  from  the 
wall.  No  other  plant  or  tree  of  any  description  should  be 
intermixed  with  the  vines,  or  trained  against  the  wall.  If 
other  trees  be  trained  on  the  surface  of  the  wall  amongst 
the  vines,  the  current  year's  shoots  of  the  latter  will  be  li- 
able to  be  shaded  and  impeded  in  their  growth  and  train- 
ing, and  be  thereby  deprived  of  the  full  advantages  of  the 
heat  of  the  wall. 


48  ON    SOIL. 

It  will  also  prove  very  beneficial  to  the  growth  and  fer- 
tility of  the  vines  and  to  the  flavor  of  the  fruit,  if  the  bor- 
der in  which  they  are  planted  be  never  cropped  nor  digged. 
The  cropping  of  a  vine  border  is  of  a  highly  injurious 
tendency,  for  it  not  only  impoverishes  the  soil,  but  shades 
it  from  the  influence  of  the  sun  and  air,  which  is  a  consid- 
eration of  the  very  last  importance.  Solar  heat,  indeed, 
is  the  only  thing  that  this  country  is  deficient  in,  as  it  re- 
spects the  culture  of  the  vine,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt, 
I  think,  that  if  we  had  but  a  trifling  portion  more  of  it, 
the  southern  parts  of  England  would  produce  grapes  on 
the  open  wall,  equal  in  point  of  flavor  to  those  grown  in 
the  most  auspicious  climates.  Great  care,  therefore,  ought 
to  be  taken,  never  to  intercept  or  obstruct  for  a  single  hour, 
during  any  part  of  the  year,  the  full  and  direct  operation 
of  the  sun  and  air  on  the  surface  of  a  vine  border. 

It  must  also  be  stated,  that  after  a  vine  has  been  planted 
three  or  four  years,  its  roots  will  begin  to  make  their  way 
upwards  towards  the  surface  of  the  border,  doubtless  at- 
tracted by  the  joint  influence  of  the  sun  and  air.  And  if 
the  border  be  not  disturbed  by  cropping  or  digging,  they 
will  come  up  close  to  the  surface  about  the  ninth  or  tenth 
year.  In  this  situation  they  receive  an  extraordinary  in- 
crease of  solar  heat,  the  very  life  and  soul  of  all  vegeta- 
tion ;  and  being,  moreover,  near  the  surface,  they  can  be 
nourished  by  liquid  manure,  to  any  extent  that  may  be 
considered  necessary.  These  surface  roots  ought,  there- 
fore, to  be  taken  great  care  of,  and  encouraged  by  all  pos- 
sible means,  as  being  amongst  the  most  valuable  of  any 
belonging  to  the  vine,  and  as  contributing  in  a  high  de- 
gree to  improve  the  flavor  of  the  fruit,  and  to  insure  its  ri^ 
pening,  even  in  the  most  unfavorable  seasons. 

The  border,  therefore,  after  it  is  once  made,  ought  never 
to  be  stirred  but  at  intervals,  when  necessary  to  prevent 
the  surface  of  it  from  becoming  a  hard  impervious  coat. 
On  such  occasions  it  should  be  carefully  forked  to  the  depth 
of  a  couple  of  inches,  which  will  keep  it  sufficiently  loose 


ON    SOIL.  49 

and  open  to  receive  the  full  influence  of  the  sun  and  air. 
Whenever  weeds  appear,  they  should  be  hoed  up  or 
plucked  by  the  hand  immediately.  In  fine,  the  border 
should  be  kept  sacred  from  the  intrusion  of  any  other 
plant,  tree,  or  vegetable  production  whatsoever,  and  be 
solely  devoted  to  the  growth  and  nourishment  of  the  roots 
of  the  vines. 

Here,  before  concluding  these  remarks  upon  soil,  &c.,  it 
is  necessary  to  observe,  'that  although  the  foregoing  direc- 
tions, with  respect  to  the  soil,  preparation  of  borders,  &c., 
will,  if  followed,  ensure  the  prosperous  growth  of  vines, 
and  the  annual  production  and  maturation  of  fine  crops  of 
grapes,  and  are  therefore  highly  deserving  of  being  practi- 
cally adopted  at  all  times  when  circumstances  permit ;  yet, 
it  must  not  therefore  be  supposed  that  vines  will  not  grow 
and  mature  fine  fruit  unless  planted  in  well  prepared  bor- 
ders. Quite  the  contrary  is  the  fact;  for  vines  will  do 
well  in  any  unprepared  soil  that  is  not  too  stiff  and  that 
has  a  dry  bottom ;  but  they  grow  quicker  and  consequent- 
ly bear  greater  crops  of  grapes  within  a  given  space  of 
time,  when  planted  in  a  soil  that  has  been  properly  pre- 
pared for  their  reception. 

For  instance,  if  two  cuttings  be  planted,  the  one  in  a 
soil  of  the  former  description,  and  the  other  in  one  of  the 
latter,  it  will  be  found  at  the  end  of  ten  years,  that  the 
stem  of  the  vine  growing  in  the  soil  that  was  unprepared 
will  not  be  more  than  half  the  size  of  that  planted  in  the 
other ;  consequently,  for  every  pound  weight  of  fruit 
which  the  smaller  stemmed  vine  can  mature,  the  other 
will  ripen  very  nearly  three  pounds.  This  difference  oc- 
curring annually,  is  sufficiently  great  to  repay  most  amply 
the  trouble  and  expense  incurred  in  making  a  suitable  bor- 
der, whenever  local  circumstances  will  permit  of  such  an 
operation  being  performed.  Nevertheless,  the  disadvanta- 
ges of  a  poor  soil  or  an  unprepared  one  may  in  some 
measure  be  compensated,  by  planting  the  vines  closer  to- 
gether, in  which  case,  the  surface  of  the  wall  will  be  much 


50  ON    SOIT.,. 

sooner  covered  with  fruit  than  otherwise.  If  vines,  in- 
deed,, could  not  be  planted  with  any  prospect  of  success  in 
any  other  situations  than  in  borders  set  apart  for  that  pur- 
pose, but  a  very  small  quantity  of  grapes  would  be  grown, 
compared  with  what  the  country  is  capable  of  producing. 
Innumerable  instances  occur  throughout  the  country,  and 
especially  in  towns  and  their  suburban  districts,  in  which 
walls,  cottages,  houses,  and  various  descriptions  of  brick 
and  stone  erections,  present  very  favorable  aspects  for  the 
training  of  vines,  but  which,  nevertheless,  are  so  situated 
locally,  as  to  possess  little  or  no  soil  at  all  on  the  surface 
adjoining  their  scites,  the  ground  abutting  them  being 
either  paved  with  bricks  or  stone,  or  perhaps  trodden  so 
hard  as  to  be  apparently  incapable  of  yielding  sustenance 
to  any  vegetable  production. 

In  all  such  cases,  however,  if  the  ground  adjoining 
the  scite  of  the  wall  or  building  be  opened  to  the  ex- 
tent of  eighteen  inches  square,  and  as  many  deep,  it  will 
be  sufficient  to  admit  the  roots  of  a  young  vine  which 
must  be  pruned  to  suit  that  space.  If  a  wider  and  deeper 
space  be  made,  it  will  of  course  be  better,  but  if  not,  that 
will  do.  After  the  sides  and  bottom  have  been  loosened 
as  much  as  possible,  the  vine  may  be  planted,  and  the  hole 
filled  up  with  two-thirds  of  rich  loamy  earth,  and  one- 
third  of  road  scrapings,  previously  mixed  well  together; 
and  if  necessary,  the  surface  covering,  whether  of  stone, 
brick,  or  otherwise,  may  be  restored  again  to  its  former 
state,  provided  a  space  of  about  six  inches  square,  be  left 
open  for  the  stem  to  swell  in  during  its  future  growth. 
Vines  planted  in  such  situations  will  in  general  do  well, 
although  their  growth  will  not  be  so  rapid  as  when  planted 
under  more  favorable  circumstances. 

In  all  cases  where  vines  are  planted  against  any  descrip- 
tion of  buildings,  their  roots  push  as  soon  as  possible  under 
the  foundations,  being  attracted  thither  by  the  warm  air 
which  is  there  generated  ;  and  such  situations  being  also 
dry,  from  the  excavations  which  have  been  made,  offer  to 


ON    MANURE.  51 

the  roots  the  same  protection  from  excessive  moisture,  as 
the  substratum  of  a  well  prepared  border.  The  same  may 
be  observed  of  vines  planted  against  walls,  the  foundations 
of  which  possess  similar  advantages,  although  in  a  more 
limited  degree.  Hence  the  fact  may  be  inferred,  that 
vines  planted  in  such  situations,  without  any  previous  pre- 
paration of  the  soil,  will  frequently  grow  as  luxuriantly 
and  produce  as  fine  grapes,  as  those  planted  in  rich  and 
well  prepared  borders. 

Indeed  it  is  hardly  possible  to  plant  a  vine  in  any  situa- 
tion .  in  which  it  will  not  thrive,  provided  its  roots  can  by 
any  means  push  themselves  into  a  dry  place,  and  the  as- 
pect be  such  as  to  afford  to  its  branches  a  sufficient  portion 
of  the  sun's  rays  to  elaborate  the  juices  of  the  plant.  The 
truth  is,  that  the  roots  of  the  vine  possess  an  extraordinary 
power  of  adapting  themselves  to  any  situation  in  which 
they  may  be  planted,  provided  it  be  a  dry  one.  They 
will  ramble  in  every  direction  in  search  after  food,  and  ex- 
tract nourishment  from  sources  apparently  the  most  barren. 
In  short,  they  are  the  best  caterers  that  can  possibly  be 
imagined,  for  they  will  grow  and  even  thrive  luxuriantly 
where  almost  every  other  description  of  plant  or  tree  would 
inevitably  starve. 


CHAPTER    VI. 


ON    MANURE. 

EVERY  substance  that  enriches  the  soil  and  stimulates 
the  growth  of  plants,  may  be  called  a  manure. 

As  a  border  in  which  vines  are  to  be  planted  ought  nev- 
er to  be  disturbed  after  having  been  once  properly  made,  it 
follows  that  those  manures  that  can  be  applied  with  advan- 


52  ON    MANURE. 

tage  to  promote  their  growth,  comprehend,  first,  such  as 
can  be  mixed  and  incorporated  with  the  soil  at  the  forma- 
tion of  the  border,  and  which  add  to  its  fertility  from  tjme 
to  .time  according  to  the  respective  periods  of  their  decom- 
position and  amalgamation  with  it ;  and  secondly,  such  as 
can  be  applied  in  a  liquid  state,  or  otherwise,  as  a  top 
dressing,  at  any  subsequent  period. 

Of  those  manures,  therefore,  that  may  be  mixed  with 
the  soil  when  the  border  is  first  made,  the  best  are  such  as 
possess  the  two  valuable  qualities  of  affording  to  the  roots 
of -the  vine  the  highest  degree  of  nourishment  combined 
with  the  greatest  permanency  of  duration.  Of  this  de- 
scription are  bones,  horns  and  hoofs  of  cattle,  bone  dust, 
the  entire  carcases  of  animals,  cuttings  of  leather,  woolen 
rags,  feathers,  and  hair. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  enter  into  a  minute  detail  of  the 
various  properties  of  these  manures ;  chemical  analysis 
having  ascertained,  and  experience  amply  proved,  that  all 
of  them,  as  they  gradually  and  respectively  decompose, 
offer  to  the  roots  of  plants  an  abundant  supply  of  food  of 
the  most  nourishing  description. 

Bones,  however,  on  account  of  their  prolonged  effect, 
are  by  far  the  most  valuable  manure  that  can  be  deposited 
in  a  vine  border.  They  should  be  buried  in  the  soil  whole 
and  as  fresh  as  possible.  Every  variety  of  size  may  be 
procured,  from  the  smallest  bone  of  a  fowl,  to  the  largest 
bone  of  an  ox.  The  small  bones  will  decompose  in  a  few 
months,  but  the  largest  will  remain  for  twenty,  thirty,-  and 
even  fifty  years,  before  :they  are  entirely  decayed,  while 
the  intermediate-sized  ones,  according  to  their  respective 
kinds,  will  be  continually  decomposing  in  succession  for  a 
great  number  of  years,  yielding  thereby  a  constant  supply 
of  nutriment  of  the  most  valuable  description.  It  is  wor- 
thy of  remark,  also,  that  every  bone,  whether  small  or 
large,  after  it  has  been  deposited  in  the  soil  a  few  weeks, 
will  begin  to  yield,  by  the  decomposition  of  the  gluten  on 
its  surface,  a  steady  supply  of  nutritious  matter,  and  con- 


ON    MANURE.  53 

tinne  so  to  do  until  it  be  resolved  into  its  constituent  parts 
and  form, part  of  the  soil  itself. 

Many  results  might  be  adduced,  of  experiments  at  va- 
rious times,  to  ascertain  the  value  of  entire  bones  as  ma- 
nure to  the  roots  of  vines,  all  of  which  would  prove  that 
they  yield,  beyond  all  comparison,  a  more  permanent  sup- 
ply of  nourishment,  than  can  be  obtained  from  any  other 
substance  used  as  manure.  The  details  of  these  would 
occupy  too  great  a  space ;  those  of  two,  however,  may 
pei haps  be  advantageously  mentioned. 

In  the  year  1826,  several  vines  were  planted  against  a 
wall  having  a  south  aspect,  in  a  border  the  soil  of  which 
is  a  stiff  clayey  loam.  In  the  following  year,  a  quantity 
of  bones,  not  more  than  a  bushel,  the  largest  of  which 
was  the  blade  bone  of  a  calf,  was  digged  into  the  border 
at  a  distance  of  five  feet  from  the  wall.  They  were  depos- 
ited all  together  as  a  horizontal  layer  of  six  inches  in 
depth,  the  upper  surface  being  twelve  inches  and  the  bot- 
tom eighteen,  from  the  surface  of  the  border.  In  the 
spring  of  1833  the  border  was  opened,  in  order  to  ascer- 
tain to  what  extent  the  roots  of  the  vines  were  nourished 
by  these  bones.  On  examination,  it  was  found  that  the  roots 
had  branched  out  in  every  possible  direction  amongst  the 
bones,  the  surfaces  of  which  were  completely  covered  with 
their  fibres.  The  blade  bone  happened  to  be  in  such  a  po- 
sition that  both  sides  of  it  could  be  distinctly  seen,  and 
on  examining  them  minutely,  they  appeared  to  have  every 
part  of  their  surface  covered  with  the  smallest  fibres  imag- 
inable ;  so  small,  indeed,  were  some  of  them,  that  they 
could  scarcely  be  discerned  by  the  naked  eye.  Their  ex- 
tremities were  fixed  on  the  surface  of  the  bone  as  firmly 
and  in  the  same  manner  as  a  leach  when  applied  for  the 
purpose  of  sucking  blood ;  and  they  were  evidently  ex- 
tracting, by  means  of  their  mouths  or  pores,  an  abundant 
-upply  of  nourishing  food.  From  the  different  shades  of 
olor  apparent  in  many  of  the  larger  parent  fibres,  and 
jther  indications  of  annual  growth,  it  appeared  that  they 


54  ON    MANURE. 

had  been  enjoying  the  banquet  which  this  bone  afforded 
for  at  least  five  years;  and  as  it  was  but  little  decayed,  it 
seemed  to  promise  them  a  continuation  of  the  feast  for  ten 
or -fifteen  years  to  come.  The  whole  appearance  of  the 
bone  was  singular  in  the  extreme,  being  completely  envel- 
oped in  a  mass  of  apparently  beautiful  gauze  net-work. 

The  chief  part  of  the  roots  which  had  multiplied  so 
prodigiously  amongst  these  bones,  was  found  to  proceed 
from  a  single  root  which  had  pushed  itself  horizontally 
and  in  a  direct  line  through  the  border  till  it  reached  the 
bones,  throwing  out  in  its  course  but  few  fibres,  the  soil 
being  of  an  unfavorable  nature  to  afford  them  much  food. 
The  root  proceeded  from  a  black  Hamburgh  vine  which 
has  for  several  years  past  produced  some  of  the  finest  bear- 
ing shoots  I  ever  saw,  from  which  I  annually  obtain  bunch- 
es of  grapes  weighing  from  one  to  two  pounds,  with  ber- 
ries measuring  from  two  inches  and  a  half  to  three  inches 
in  circumference. 

A  similar  examination  of  another  border  some  years 
since  produced  the  like  result.  About  seven  years  pre- 
viously to  my  inspecting  it,  a  few  bones  had  been  inserted 
in  the  soil,  one  of  which  was  the  thigh  bone  of  an  ox. 
After  carefully  removing  the  top  spit  of  the  border,  into 
which  the  fibres  of  the  roots  had  pushed  themselves  pretty 
thickly,  I  discovered  this  bone  about  a  foot  below  the  sur- 
face, and  four  feet  distant  from  the  stem  of  a  vine.  The 
hollow  part  of  it,  which  had  contained  the  marrow,  was 
open  at  both  ends.  On  examining  it,  I  found  that  a  root 
of  the  vine  had  traversed  the  surface  of  it  in  a  direct  line 
from  one  end  to  the  other,  throwing  out  an  immense  num- 
ber of  small  fibres  which  covered  its  entire  convex  sur- 
face. On  a  closer  inspection,  and  tracing  the  course  of  the 
root,  it  appeared,  that  when  it  had  reached  the  end  of  the 
bone,  instead  of  pushing  straight  forward  into  the  soil,  it 
had  turned  down  over  the  single  thickness,  entered  the  hol- 
low part,  and  was  returning  through  the  inside  of  the  bone 
towards  the  same  end  at  which  it  first  came  in  contact 


ON    MANURE.  55 

with  it.  The  bone  was  very  thick,  arid  though  it  had  been 
in  the  ground  seven  years,  it  presented  scarcely  any  signs 
of  decay.  It  was  so  completely  enveloped  in  fibres,  that 
no  further  examination  could  take  place  without  putting 
the  health  of  the  vine  in  jeopardy.  This  vine  is  also  a 
black  Hamburgh,  and  for  many  years  past,  it  has  annually 
produced  both  fruit  and  current  year's  bearing  shoots  of  the 
very  finest  description,  although  the  soil  in  which  it  grows 
is  far  from  being  a  rich  one.  The  fact  of  the  root  cling- 
ing to  the  bone  and  making  a  retrograde  movement  through 
the  hollow  part  of  it,  rather  than  push  forward  into  the 
soil,  is  conclusive  as  to  its  decided  preference  of  the  former 
to  the  latter,  and  the  surprising  number  of  fibres,  which, 
in  both  of  these  instances,were  absorbing  nutriment  through 
the  medium  of  their  spongioles,  or  newly-formed  extremi- 
ties, clearly  shews  that  whole  bones  deposited  in  the  soil 
in  their  fresh  and  entire  state,  furnish  to  the  roots  of  vines 
for  a  long  period  of  time,  an  extraordinary  supply  of  food 
of  the  richest  description. " 

I  have  stated  these  circumstances  in  detail,  because  such 
facts  are  worth  all  the  theories  in  the  world. 

Horns  and  hoofs  of  Cattle,  or  the  parings  or  shavings 
of  them,  may  be  classed  next  to  bones  in  point  of  value, 
while  their  effects  last,  but  their  duration  is  not  so  long, 
nor  are  they  indeed  to  be  procured  in  sufficient  abundance 
to  be  calculated  upon  for  an  adequate  supply. 

Bone  dust  is  a  very  powerful  manure,  producing  imme- 
diate effect,  and  is  lasting  in  its  duration  ;  but  the  process 
of  boiling  bones  previously  to  their  being  crushed,  deprives 
them  of  their  very  best  qualities. 

The  entire  carcases  of  animals  or  any  portions  of  tJiem, 
dead  birds,  6fc.  $*c.,  independently  of  their  bones,  yield, 
after  decomposition,  an  extraordinary  supply  of  food  for 
the  roots  of  vines,  impregnating  the  soil  all  around  with  a 
great  quantity  of  nutritious  matter.  Dead  animals  of  ev- 
ery description,  such  as  dogs,  cats,  pigs,  &c.,  that  have 
died,  may  be  thus  disposed  of  in  a  most  advantageous 


56  ON    MANURE. 

manner,  by  depositing  them  in  their  entire  state  in  the  vine 
border. 

Cuttings  of  leather,  old  or  new.  old  shoes,  tyc.,  are  a 
very  valuable  manure,  remaining  in  the  ground  many 
years  before  entirely  decomposed.  The  roots  of  vines  are 
very  partial  to  this  description  of  manure.  I  have  exam- 
ined the  soles  of  old  shoes  that  have  been  deposited  in  the 
soil  upwards  of  seven  years,  and  have  found  their  surfaces 
covered  with  fibres,  feeding  eagerly  upon  them. 

Woolen  rags,  feathers,  and  hair,  may  all  be  mentioned 
as  valuable  manures,  yielding  during  their  decomposition, 
a  great  supply  of  nutritious  matter. 

A  vast  number  of  other  substances  well  known  as  ma- 
nures might  be  enumerated,  but  though  many  of  these 
would  be  found  to  be  very  valuable  with  reference  to  their 
immediate  effect,  their  good  qualities  being  of  transient 
duration,  would  be  entirely  dissipated  before  the  roots  of 
the  vines  could  derive  any  lasting  benefit  from  them. 
Moreover,  powerful  manures  of  short  duration  excite  vines 
to  a  sort  of  premature  growth,  and  when  the  roots  are  be- 
coming strong  and  vigorous,  and  capable  of  absorbing  with 
advantage  a.  greater  quantity  of  nutriment,  the  manure  is 
exhausted,  and  the  plants  Immediately  make  a  retrograde 
movement,  in  consequence  of  having  been  unnaturally 
excited  by  a  gluttonous  supply  of  stimulating  food. 
Steadiness  of  supply  and  permanency  of  duration,  are  the 
two  grand  requisites  of  all  manures  intended  to  be  depos- 
ited in  borders  appropriated  for  the  growth  of  vines  ;  and 
those  already  enumerated  have  been  found  by  experience 
to  possess  these  valuable  qualities  in  a  greater  degree  than 
any  other.  - 

As  a  point  of  culture  of  great  importance  to  be  attended  to 
in  depositing  manure  in  the  soil,  care  must  be  taken  not  to 
dig  it  in  too  deeply.  The  roots  of  vines  should  be  induced 
to  extend  themselves  in  a  horizontal  manner  and  as  near 
the  surface  of  the  border  as  possible.  Solar  heat  is  gen- 
erally supposed  to  penetrate  to  the  depth  of  three  feet,  but 


ON    MANURE.  57 

its  effects  at  that  distance  from  the  surface  cannot  be  very 
strong,  especially  in  soils  that  are  of  an  adhesive  nature. 
The  food,  therefore,  that  is  provided  for  the  roots  of  vines 
should  lie  imbedded  in  the  soil  in  the  form  of  a  horizon- 
tal stratum  or  layer,  the  top  of  which  should  be  about  six 
inches,  and  the  bottom  not  more  than  two  feet,  below  the 
surface.  Manure  so  deposited,  will  cause  the  roots  to 
spread  themselves  out  within  such  a  distance  of  the  surface 
as  will  keep  them  warm  and  dry,  and  enable  them  to  re- 
ceive the  cherishing  influence  of  the  sun  and  air. 

Liquid  manure.  This  is  a  species  of  manure  that  is 
highly  valuable  where  immediate  effect  is  required.  As 
the  pores  which  abound  in  the  fibres  of  the  roots  of  plants 
are  too  small  to  admit  of  any  solid  substance  passing  into 
them,  and  can  only  absorb  nutriment  when  presented  to 
them  either  in  a  fluid  or  gaseous  state,  liquid  manures  act 
with  a  far  greater  degree  of  energy  than  those  of  a  solid 
nature,  inasmuch  as  they  contain  all  the  soluble  parts  of 
manure  in  such  a  state  as  to  admit  of  being  taken  up  by 
the  roots  as  soon  as  applied.  The  most  powerful  are 
urine,  soot-water,  blood,  the  drainings  of  dung  heaps  and 
soap-suds. 

Urine,  on  account  of  its  saline  qualities,  is  better  calcu- 
lated to  promote  the  fertility  of  the  vine,  than  any  other 
liquid  whatever.  It  should  be  used  as  fresh  as  possible, 
and  if  applied  in  the  growing  season,  or  betwixt  the  mid- 
dle of  March  and  the  first  of  November,  it  should  be  mixed 
with  an  equal  quantity  of  water ;  at  any  other  period  of 
the  year,  it  may  be  cast  on  the  border  in  its  natural  state. 

Soot,  dissolved  in  water,  in  the  proportion  of  one  quart 
of  the  former  to  twelve  quarts  of  the  latter,  and  mixed  a 
few  days  previously  to  its  being  used,  is  an  exceedingly 
strong  manure,  highly  stimulating  in  its  nature  and  a  great 
purifier  of  the  soil. 

Blood,  the  drainings  of  dung  heaps,  and  soap-suds, 
should  be  used  as  fresh  as  possible,  in  order  that  their  good 
qualities  may  be  preserved  entire.  They  arc  all  valuable 


58  ON    MANURE. 

manures,  and  calculated  to  enrich  the  soil  in  a  very  high 
degree. 

To  the  foregoing  may  be  added  every  description  of  li- 
quid refuse  that  proceeds  from  a  dwelling-house  or  human 
habitation.  All  such  constitute  a  valuable  class  of  ma- 
nures and  may  therefore  be  applied  to  a  vine  border  with 
the  greatest  advantage.  If  any  be  too  strong  and  spirit- 
uous, an  equal  quantity  of  water  should  be  mixed  with 
them,  previously  to  their  being  used. 

For  the  purpose  of  top  dressing  and  to  be  forked  into 
the  border  when  requisite,  may  be  named  as  highly  en- 
riching manures,  night  soil,  fish,  stable  manure,  and  the 
excrements  of  every  description  of  birds  and  animals. 
Night  soil  is  a  very  stimulating  manure,  but  transient  in 
its  effects,  which  renders  it  more  fit  for  a  top  dressing  than 
to  be  used  as  a  component  part  of  the  border  when  first 
made.  If  spread  on  the  surface  in  a  thin  layer,  it  will 
soon  dry,  and  may  then  be  forked  in,  in  a  pulverized 
state. 

In  concluding  these  remarks  on  manure,  it  is  necessary 
further  to  observe,  with  respect  to  the  application  of  liquid 
manures  and  top  dressings,  that  care  must  be  taken  not  to 
make  the  surface  of  the  border  too  rich.  An  excess  of 
manure  deteriorates  the  flavor  of  the  grapes,  and  is,  more- 
over, injurious  to  the  fertility  of  a  vine,  inasmuch  as  it  stim- 
ulates the  plant  too  highly,  causing  thereby  an  excessive 
and  unnatural  growth  of  wood,  which,  being  formed  too 
rapidly,  becomes  long  jointed  and  productive  of  leaf-buds 
instead  of  fruit-buds.  Liquid  manures  and  top  dressings, 
therefore,  must  be  judiciously  applied,  lest  a  rank  and  bar- 
ren vegetation  be  induced,  in  lieu  of  a  healthy  and  fruitful 
one.  This  cautionary  remark  is  the  more  necessary,  as 
vines  are  well  known  to  be  amongst  the  grossest  feeders  in 
nature  :  their  roots  absorbing  with  the  appetite  of  a  glut- 
ton, every  description  of  liquid  refuse  that  is  placed  within 
their  reach,  however  fetid  or  nauseous  it  may  be. 


ON    THE     CONSTRUCTION    OF     WALLS.  59 


CHAPTER    VII. 


ON     THE     CONSTRUCTION     OF     WALLS. 

To  .ripen  any  of  the  sorts  of  grapes  cultivated  in  this 
country  sufficiently  to  be  used  as  table  fruit,  requires  the 
shelter  and  reflected  heat  of  a  wall. 

The  proper  height  of  a  wall  intended  for  the  training  of 
vines  upon,  must  depend  in  a  great  measure  on  local  cir- 
cumstances. In  an  unsheltered  situation,  and  an  aspect 
exposed  to  the  injurious  influence  of  westerly  or  south- 
westerly winds,  I  have  never  seen  prime  grapes  produced 
much  higher  than  eight  feet  from  the  ground.  But  in  sit- 
uations and  aspects  of  an  opposite  description,  no  limit  to 
the  height  of  a  wall  need  be  assigned,  for  as  fine  grapes 
may  be  matured  at  the  distance  of  twenty  feet  from  the 
ground,  as  at  any  less  height.  Grapes,  when  growing  at 
a  less  distance  than  about  four  feet  from  the  ground,  cer- 
tainly enjoy  a  considerable  increase  of  reflected  heat,  par- 
ticularly if  the  surface  adjoining  the  wall  be  paved ;  but, 
on  the  other  hand,  to  counterbalance  this  advantage,  if  the 
aspect  be  east  or  west,  the  sun  will  shine  longer  on  the 
upper  part  of  the  wall  than  on  the  lower  part,  in  conse- 
quence of  which,  the  surface  of  the  wall  will  be  found,  in 
general,  pretty  equally  heated  in  all  its  parts.  But  if  the 
aspect  be  south,  the  solar  rays  during  the  summer  will 
strike  the  entire  surface  of  the  wall  at  the  same  instant  of 
time,  unless  there  be  some  local  impediment  ;  and  in  this 
aspect,  therefore,  the  lower  part  of  the  wall  will  enjoy  an 
increased  degree  of  warmth  from  the  reflection  of  the 
ground.  Hence,  grapes  growing  within  two  or  three  feet 
of  the  bottom  of  a  wall  facing  the  south,  will  in  general 
ripen  from  ten  days  to  a  fortnight  earlier  than  those  grow- 
ing on  the  upper  part  of  it.  There  is  a  disadvantage, 


60          ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  WALLS. 

however,  in  training  grapes  near  the  ground  as  it  respects 
their  remaining  on  the  vine  after  being  ripe.  If  grapes 
can  be  kept  perfectly  dry,  they  will  hang  on  the  vine  and 
improve  in  flavor  for  a  long  time  after  they  are  ripe  ;  but  if 
dampness  or  moisture  of  any  description  reach  them,  the 
consequences  are  quickly  seen  in  the  decay  of  the  berries. 
After  the  middle  of  October,  therefore,  it  will  be  found  a 
difficult  matter  to  preserve  grapes  that  hang  within  two 
feet  of  the  ground,  on  account  of  the  damp  exhalations 
that  continually  arise  from  the  soil  at  that  period  of  the 
year. 

If  walls  be  built  for  the  express  purpose  of  producing 
grapes,  the  most  judicious  expenditure  of  the  materials 
will  be  in  the  erection  of  several  low  walls,  not  more  than 
six  feet  high,  in  preference  to  a  small  number  of  very  high 
walls.  For  the  purpose  of  pruning  and  training,  and  the 
general  management  of  the  vines,  walls  of  this  height  are 
far  more  convenient  than  those  of  a  greater  height ;  and 
if  built  to  run  directly  north  and  south,  the  entire  surface 
of  both  sides  of  each  wall  will  be  available  for  the  train- 
ing of  the  vines ;  and  as  such  walls  need  not  be  built  at  a 
great  distance  apart,  an  astonishing  quantity  of  grapes  may 
be  thus  annually  grown  on  a  small  extent  of  ground  by 
the  erection  of  a  few  walls  of  this  description,  built  paral- 
lel to,  and  not  far  distant  from  each  other. 

The  best  materials  for  the  construction  of  vine  walls, 
are  without  doubt  bricks,  as  they  present  a  more  even  sur- 
face than  can  be  obtained  from  walls  built  of  any  other  de- 
scription of  materials  ;  and  evenness  of  surface  is  a  quality 
that  cannot  be  dispensed  with.  It  is  not  only  necessary  for 
the  training  of  vines  with  precision,  but  if  the  surface  of 
the  wall  be  not  smooth  and  even,  the  grapes  will  be  at 
times  considerably  injured  by  being  blown  to  and  fro  by 
the  wind  against  the  rough  and  uneven  parts  of  it. 

Dark  colored  flint  walls  are  hotter  than  brick,  but  this 
advantage  is  more  than  counterbalanced  by  their  uneven 
surface.  But  if  the  faces  of  the  flints  be  well  hammer- 


ON    THE     CONSTRUCTION    OF    WALLS.  61 

dressed,  and  the  joints  of  the  wall  made  to  run  in  proper 
courses,  they  make  a  handsome  wall,  and  one  that  will  ab- 
sorb and  retain  heat  in  a  greater  degree  than  any  other. 

If  from  local  causes,  neither  bricks  nor  flints  can  be  pro- 
cured, stone  of  any  description  may  be  substituted,  but  the 
darker  the  color  and  the  closer  the  texture,  the  more  will  it 
absorb  and  retain  heat  and  repel  moisture;  and  conse- 
quently the  better  will  it  be  adapted  for  the  end  in  view. 

As  a  substitute  for  walls,  stout  ranges  of  paling  made 
of  well  seasoned  wood,  or  of  the  planks  of  old  ships,  well 
coated  over  with  paint,  are  at  times  erected ;  but  grapes 
produced  in  this  way,  are  seldom  equal  to  those  grown  on 
walls. 

For  the  foundation  of  a  vine  wall,  stone  is  preferable  to 
bricks,  the  former  being  more  solid  and  durable.  And  if 
the  wall  be  an  outer  one,  and  the  soil  on  the  outside  of  it 
be  of  such  a  description  as  to  render  it  necessary  that  the 
roots  of  the  vines  should  be  prevented  from  getting  into 
it,  the  foundation  ought  to  be  deep,  and  cemented  firmly 
together,  so  as  to  make  it  as  solid  as  possible.  But  if  the 
soil  on  each  side  of  the  wall  be  such  as  to  make  it  advan- 
tageous for  the  roots  to  run  freely  into  it,  no  greater  depth 
need  be  gone  to,  nor  should  any  more  cement  be  used  in 
putting  the  materials  together  than  is  necessary  to  make 
the  foundation  sufficiently  strong  and  firm  to  support  the 
superstructure.  The  drier  and  looser,  indeed,  that  the 
materials  can  be  laid  together,  and  the  greater  number  of 
cavities  and  interstices  that  can  be  left  in  the  foundation, 
the  better  adapted  will  it  be  to  admit  the  roots  of  the 
vines,  which  delight  to  ramble  amongst  such  materials  in 
preference  to  growing  in  even  the  richest  soil. 

Blackening  the  surface  of  a  wall  is  productive  of  a  con- 
siderable increase  of  heat  as  long  as  the  sun  shines  upon 
it  ;  but  during  the  night,  and  such  part  of  the  day  as  the 
surface  is  in  the  shade,  it  will  make  the  wall  colder.  This 
arises  from  the  black-colored  surface  parting  with  its  heat 
immediately  the  sun's  rays  are  withdrawn.  With  respect, 


62  ON    THE     CONSTRUCTION    OF    WALLS. 

therefore,  to  walls  facing  the  east  or  west,  the  surfaces  of 
which,  even  in  the  height  of  summer,  do  not  receive  the 
solar  rays  more  than  one  third  of  every  twenty-four  hours, 
the  coloring  of  them  black  will  be  injurious  rather  than 
otherwise,  inasmuch  as  the  intensity  of  the  cold  increases 
in  proportion  to  the  sun's  absence.  But  when  the  aspect 
is  due  south,  or  very  nearly  so,  the  surface  of  a  wall  may 
be  blackened  with  advantage,  as  the  duration  of  the  sun's 
absence  as  compared  with  his  presence,  is  more  equally 
balanced  throughout  the  summer  months,  and  the  increase 
of  heat,  therefore,  is  more  than  equivalent  to  that  of  the 
cold ;  the  former,  being,  on  a  clear  day  and  when  the  sun 
is  on  the  meridian,  frequently  from  ten  to  twenty  degrees 
more  than  that  of  the  surface  of  an  unblackened  wall. 

Lime  washing  the  surface  of  a  vine  wall  every  year 
will  be  found  very  advantageous  in  keeping  it  clean,  and 
free  from  insects  and  the  growth  of  moss.  Newly  built 
walls  may  be  exempted  from  this  operation  during  the  first 
three  or  four  years  after  their  erection  :  but  in  every  sub- 
sequent year,  it  is  almost  indispensable.  When  the  sur- 
face of  a  wall  is  covered  with  the  foliage  of  a  vine,  the 
nails  used  in  training  the  shoots  are  necessarily  numerous  : 
and  these  being  withdrawn  at  the  autumnal  pruning,  their 
holes  are  quickly  taken  possession  of  by  various  descrip- 
tions of  insects.  If  these  be  suffered  to  remain  unmo- 
lested, they  will  multiply  amazingly  during  the  next  sum- 
mer :  and  in  the  autumn,  when  the  fruit  is  cut,  the  bunch- 
es will  be  infested  with  them  to  an  injurious  and  offensive 
degree.  The  nail-holes  may  certainly  be  filled  with  mor- 
tar ;  but  this  is  a  tedious  operation,  and  produces  an  un- 
sightly appearance.  I  have  never  found  anything  so  effec- 
tual as  a  good  coating  of  whitewash,  made  from  new  lime, 
and  of  a  thickish  consistency.  This,  by  filling  up  the 
holes  and  other  vacancies,  effectually  destroys  all  the  ver- 
min, prevents  the  growth  of  moss,  and  promotes  not  a  little 
the  healthy  vegetation  of  the  vines.  The  face  of  the  wall 
will  thus  be  renovated,  and  made  to  look  as  well  as  when 


ON    THE     CONSTRUCTION    OF    WALLS.  63 

first  built ;  and  its  pure  whiteness  will  add  greatly  to  the 
cheerful  appearance  of  the  garden.  The  proper  time  of 
the  year  to  perform  this  operation,  is  at  the  beginning  of 
March,  just  as  the  winter  covering  of  the  bud  is  about  to 
open :  but  if  the  season  be  forward,  the  last  week  in  Feb- 
ruary will  do  better.  The  vines  should  be  unnailad,  and 
held  at  a  little  distance  from  the  wall  by  one  person,  while 
another  washes  its  surface  ;  after  which,  the  branches  may 
be  trained  and  nailed  for  the  season,  or  otherwise  tempo- 
rarily so,  until  that  operation  can  be  conveniently  performed. 
If  the  wash  fall  on  any  of  the  branches,  it  will  not  be  of 
the  slightest  consequence  ;  as,  though  a  little  unsightly  at 
first,  it  will  quickly  disappear  at  the  rising  of  the  sap. 

Projecting  copings  fixed  on  vine  walls,  though  attended 
with  many  advantages,  are  not  without  some  disadvanta- 
ges. They  are  very  beneficial  in  protecting  the  young 
shoots  of  the  vines  from  the  effects  of  late  frosts  in  the 
spring,  in  preserving  the  blossoms  from  cold  dews  and 
heavy  rains,  and  in -'keeping  the  grapes  in  good  condition 
for  a  considerable  period  of  time  after  they  have  become 
ripe.  They  also  contribute  to  prevent  the  escape  of  heat 
from  the  wall,  and  are  likewise  extremely  convenient  to 
fasten  netting,  bunting,  &c.,  to,  when  necessary  to  protect 
the  fruit  from  birds  and  insects.  On  the  other  hand,  they 
exclude  a  portion  of  light  and  air,  and  prevent  the  dew, 
and  in  some  measure  the  rain  also,  from  descending  on  the 
foliage,  and  these  are  very  beneficial  after  the  fruit  is  set 
and  until  it  begins  to  ripen.  Nevertheless,  the  advantages 
of  projecting  copings  decidedly  preponderate.  If  there 
were  no  other  benefit  arising  from  them,  that  of  protecting 
the  fruit  from  heavy  rains,  and  thereby  keeping  it  dry  and 
in  good  condition  for  two  or  three  months  after  it  is  ripe, 
would  be  quite  sufficient  to  turn  the  scale  at  once  in  their 
favor.  With  respect  to  the  width  of  the  projecting  part 
when  permanently  fixed,  that  must  depend  on  the  aspect 
and  height  of  the  wall.  If  the  latter  be  less  than  lour 
feet,  and  the  aspect  south,  the  coping  ought  not  to  project 


64  ON    THE     CONSTRUCTION    OF    WALLS. 

at  all,  as  the  light  and  solar  heat  excluded  by  it  will  be  a 
serious  drawback  on  the  healthy  vegetation  of  the  vines, 
But  if  the  wall  be  four  feet  high,  then  the  coping  may 
project  as  many  inches  ;  and  if  this  width  be  increased  an 
inch  every  foot  that  the  wall  increases  in  height  up  to 
twelve  feet,  the  principal  advantages  arising  from  the  pro- 
tection which  a  coping  affords,  will  be  secured  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  smallest  portion  of  its  disadvantages.  If  the 
wall,  therefore,  be  twelve  feet  high,  the  coping  will  project 
a  foot  —  more  than  which,  no  coping  should  project,  what- 
ever may  be  the  height  of  the  wall.  If  the  aspect  be  east 
or  west,  the  coping  must  be  as  narrow  as  possible,  as  every 
inch  of  projection  in  these  aspects  causes  a  considerable 
diminution  in  the  duration  of  sunshine  on  the  surface  of 
the  wall.  If  the  height  of  the  wall  be  less  than  six  feet, 
a  projection  had  better  be  dispensed  with  :  but  if  it  reach 
that  height,  one  of  four  inches  in  width  may  be  used ;  and 
this  may  be  increased  half  an  inch  every  foot  the  wall  is 
higher,  until  it  reach  the  width  of  twelve  inches,  which 
will  give  a  height  of  twenty-two  feet  for  the  wall.  It  is 
seldom  that  a  mere  wall  reaches  this  height :  but  whatev- 
er height  a  wall  may  be,  if  the  width  of  the  coping  cor- 
respond to  these  proportions,  the  advantages  derived  there- 
from will  be  as  great  as  can  be  obtained  in  these  aspects, 
without,  in  an  injurious  degree,  excluding  the  solar  rays. 
It  may  be  remarked,  also,  that  a  projection  of  less  than 
four  inches  in  width  on  a  vine  wall,  is  calculated  to  do 
more  harm  than  good,  as  the  drip  will  fall  on  the  fruit, 
which,  in  any  stage  of  its  growth,  will  greatly  injure  it. 

Moveable  wooden  copings  may  be  used  with  great  ad- 
vantage, as  they  produce  all  the  benefit  of  fixed  copings 
without  any  of  their  disadvantages.  Copings  of  this  de- 
scription may  project  a  little  more  than  the  proportions 
abovementioned,  those  being  intended  to  apply  to  fixed  co- 
pings only.  If  temporary  copings  be  used,  the  proper  pe- 
riods of  the  year  for  their  application  will  be  as  follows : 
First,  —  from  the  twenty-first  of  March  to  the  middle  of 


ON    THE    PROPAGATION    OF    VINES.  65 

May;  to  protect  the  young  shoots  from  the  injurious  ef- 
fects of  late  frosts  and  from  descending  cold;  —  Sec- 
ondly,—  from  the  first  expanding  of  the  blossoms  until 
the  berries  are  well  set ;  — and  thirdly,  —  from  the  period 
of  the  berries  becoming  transparent  and  shewing  symp- 
toms of  ripening,  until  the  fruit  be  all  cut  from  the  vines. 
During  this  last-mentioned  period,  the  coping  will  prove  of 
the  greatest  advantage  in  keeping  the  fruit  dry,  for  it  may 
be  remarked,  that  as  soon  as  grapes  begin  to  make  their 
last  swell,  which  is  indicated  by  their  becoming  transpa- 
rent, not  a  drop  of  rain  should  ever  be  suffered  to  fall  upon 
them,  if  it  can  possible  be  avoided.  All  the  moisture 
which  they  stand  in  need  of,  they  will  freely  imbibe  from 
the  atmosphere. 

In  concluding  these  observations  on  the  construction  of 
walls,  it  must  be  further  observed,  that,  in  addition  to  the 
surface  of  a  vine  wall  being  as  smooth  as  possible,  it  ought 
also  to  be  a  true  perpendicular,  and  the  wall  itself  to  run  in 
a  straight  line.  These  qualities  are  necessary  to  ensure  an 
equal  distribution  of  solar  heat  on  its  surface,  and  also  an 
exemption  from  the  increased  action  of  violent  winds, 
which  is  sure  to  be  generated  in  some  way  or  other,  if  the 
wall  be  built  otherwise  than  in  a  straight  line. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 


ON    THE    PROPAGATION    OF     VINES. 

VINES  are  propagated  in  the  open  ground,  by  layers  and 
by  cuttings. 

By  layers.  This  ,is  the  most  expeditious  method  of 
raising  vines,  provided  the  shoots  be  laid  down  in  pots  and 
planted  out  the  same  summer.  But  vines  raised  from 


66  ON    THE    PROPAGATION    OF    VINES. 

shoots  laid  down  in  the  open  ground,  seldom  ripen  their 
roo.ts  well,  and  are  therefore  inferior  to  those  raised  from 
cuttings.  There  is  also  another  objection  to  this  mode  of 
propagating  vines.  No  shoots  of  a  well  established  vine 
can  be  laid  down  in  a  border  without  the  roots  growing 
amongst  those  of  the  parent  vine.  When  the  proper  sea- 
son arrives  for  the  removal  of  the  young  plant,  the  ground 
requires  to  be  digged  to  the  depth  of  eighteen  inches,  in 
order  to  take  up  its  roots  as  entire  as  possible.  Now,  a 
vine  border  cannot  be  digged  to  this  depth,  nor  indeed  any- 
thing like  it,  without  very  greatly  injuring  the  roots  of  the 
parent  vine.  For  this  reason,  therefore,  and  on  account  of 
the  roots  of  young  plants  so  raised  frequently  dying  off  to 
a  considerable  extent  in  the  ensuing  winter,  through  not 
being  sufficiently  ripened,  the  raising  of  vines  by  layers 
in  the  open  ground,  may  be  regarded  as  an  inferior  method 
of  propagation. 

To  raise  vines  by  laying  down  the  shoots  in  pots  to  be 
planted  out  in  the  current  summer,  the  following  direc- 
tions, if  followed,  will  insure  success.  For  each  layer 
procure  a  pot  of  the  size  of  No.  24,  and  prepare  some  rich 
mould,  which  must  be  sifted  very  fine.  Put  a  large  piece 
of  potsherd,  or  a  good  sized  oyster  shell  over  the  hole  at 
the  bottom ;  fill  the  pot  about  two-thirds  full  with  the 
mould,  and  sink  it  three  inches  below  the  surface  of  the 
soil.  Then  take  the  shoot,  the  four  last  buds  of  which 
will  be  required  to  form  the  layer,  and  cut  the  fourth  bud 
cleanly  and  smoothly  out,  so  that  no  shoot  can  afterwards 
push  from  it.  Bend  the  shoot  carefully  down  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  second  and  third  buds  shall  be  at  least 
three  inches  below  the  surface  of  the  mould  when 
filled  in,  and  the  first  bud  even  with  it,  or  rather  just 
peeping  out  of  the  mould.  Secure  the  shoot  firmly  in  this 
position,  so  that  its  own  force  will  not  raise  it  up,  then  fill 
the  pot  up  with  mould  to  within  half  an  inch  of  the  top, 
which  space  must  be  left  for  the  purpose  of  holding  liquid 
manure.  If  the  mould  settle  down  afterwards,  and  leave 


ON    THE    PROPAGATION    OF    VINES.  67 

a  greater  space  than  this,  more  must  be  added  to  make 
good  the  deficiency.  Shoots  may  be  thus  laid  down  any 
time  from  the  fall  of  the  leaf  to  the  middle  of  March. 
The  latter  period  will  be  quite  early  enough,  as  no  roots 
will  be  made  before  the  latter  end  of  June  or  the  begin- 
ning of  July.  After  the  first  of  April  the  mould  in  the 
pot  must  be  constantly  kept  moist,  for  which  purpose  sup- 
ply it  as  often  as  necessary  with  soap-suds  or  the  drainings 
of  a  dung-heap.  The  layer  must  be  separated  from  the 
parent  vine  sometime  between  the  twentieth  of  August 
and  the  first  of  September,  and  planted  out  immediately, 
with  the  ball  of  earth  entire,  in  the  situation  in  which  it 
is  intended  to  remain.  Supply  it  plentifully  with  liquid 
manure  of  the  abovementioned  description,  throughout  the 
remainder  of  the  season  till  the  fall  of  the  leaf.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  ring,  twist,  cut,  or  pierce  the  layer,  before 
bending  it  down  in  the  pot  :  keeping  the  mould  constantly 
moist  with  liquid  manure,  will  excite  it  to  root  very  freely 
without  any  such  operation.  If  the  foregoing  directions 
be  followed,  the  roots  will  be  four  feet  long  before  the 
winter  sets  in. 

It  is  necessary,  however,  to  state  distinctly,  that  the 
success  of  the  operation  depends  entirely  on  keeping  the 
mould  in  the  pot  continually  moist,  on  separating  the  layer 
from  the  parent  vine  at  the  time  abovementioned,  on  im- 
mediately planting  it  in  the  spot  where  it  is  to  remain, 
and  in  keeping  it  well  supplied  with  liquid  manure 
throughout  the  remaining  part  of  the  season.  If  the 
layer  were  suffered  to  maintain  its  union  with  the  parent 
vine  throughout  the  autumn,  the  roots  would  nearly  all 
die  away,  in  consequence  of  their  not  having  attained  to 
a  sufficient  degree  of  maturity  to  support  their  own  vital- 
ity. If  the  terminal  bud  when  it  bursts  should  show 
fruit,  it  must  be  pinched  off  immediately  ;  and  as  the 
shoot  advances  in  growth,  it  must  as  often  as  necessary,  be 
tied  to  a  stake,  or  what  will  be  much  better,  trained  against 
the  wall.  The  tendrils  should  be  cut  off  as  soon  as  they 


68  ON    THE    PROPAGATION    OF    VINES. 

are  about  four  inches  long,  and  the  lateral  or  side  shoots 
kept  pinched  back  to  one  eye.  At  the  end  of -the  season, 
as  soon  as  the  leaves  are  shed,  the  plant  must  be  cut  down 
to  the  two  lowermost  buds.  It  may  be  remarked,  that  by 
laying  shoots  in  this  manner,  fine  grapes  may  be  grown  in 
pots,  for  the  purpose  of  being  cut  from  the  parent  vine 
when  the  fruit  is  ripe,  and  produced  at  table  as  living  plants 
in  full  bearing. 

By  cuttings.  This  is  the  best  method  of  propagating 
vines  in  the  open  ground,  when  the  plants  are  either  to  be 
raised  in  the  situation  where  they  are  finally  to  remain,  or 
tp  be  transplanted  in  the  ensuing  winter,  or  at  any  subse- 
quent period.  To  provide  cuttings  to  be  planted  at  the 
proper  season,  select  at  the  autumnal  pruning  a  sufficient 
number  of  shoots  of  the  preceding  summer's  growth. 
Choose  such  as  are  well  ripened,  of  a  medium  size,  and 
moderately  short  jointed.  Cut  them  into  convenient 
lengths  of  six  or  eight  buds  each,  leaving  at  the  ends  not 
less  than  a  couple  of  inches  of  the  blank  wood  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  terminal  buds.  Stick  these  temporary  cut- 
tings about  nine  inches  in  the  ground,  in  a  warm  and  shel- 
tered situation,  where  they  will  be  effectually  protected  from 
the  severity  of  the  winter.  The  best  time  to  plant  them 
out  is  about  the  middle  of  March,  but  any  time  from  the 
first  of  that  month  to  the  tenth  of  April  will  do  very  well. 
When  this  period  arrives,  if  the  young  vines  about  to  be 
raised  are  afterwards  to  be  transplanted,  choose  such  a  sit- 
uation for  the  planting  of  the  cuttings,  as  is  well  sheltered 
from  the  wind,  and  not  too  much  exposed  to  the  sun. 
More  than  six  hours  sunshine  in  any  day  will  be  injurious 
rather  than  beneficial,  and  with  respect  to  the  wind,  if  the 
cuttings  be  not  protected  from  its  injurious  effects,  they 
will  scarcely  strike  at  all,  even  in  the  very  best  prepared 
soil.  A  moderate  portion  of  sunshine  and  effectual  shelter 
from  the  wind,  are  absolutely  necessary  to  ensure  the 
growth  of  the  cuttings.  Previously  to  planting  them,  the 
soil  must  be  well  prepared  for  their  reception,  by  being 


ON    THE    PROPAGATION    OF     VINES.  69 

digged  to  the  depth  of  eighteen  inches,  and  the  earth 
made  very  fine.  If  it  be  in  any  degree  stiff  or  heavy,  take 
two-thirds  of  it  entirely  away,  and  supply  its  place  with 
light  rich  mould  or  road-scrapings.  For  every  cutting  add 
half  a  spit  of  .well  rotted  dung  from  an  old  cucumber  bed, 
and  mix  the  whole  well  together,  making  it  as  fine  as  pos- 
sible. This  being  done,  prepare  the  cuttings  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner.  Cut  the  shoots  into  lengths  containing 
two  buds  each,  and  let  the  uppermost  buds  have  an  inch 
of  the  blank  wood  remaining  beyond  them.  The  extrem- 
ities of  these  must  be  cut  in  a  slanting  manner,  and  the 
slant  sides  be  opposite  to  the  buds.  Take  the  other  ends 
of  the  cuttings  that  are  to  be  inserted  in  the  ground,  and 
cut  them  transversely  just  below  the  buds,  and  the  cuttings 
will  be  complete.  The  pruning  knife  should  be  very 
sharp,  so  that  the  cuts  at  the  ends  maybe  perfectly  smooth. 
The  length  of  each  cutting  betwixt  the  two  buds  should 
riot  be  less  than  four  nor  more  than  six  inches,  in  order 
that  the  bottom  buds  may  be  at  such  a  distance  from  the 
surface  of  the  soil,  as  will  best  promote  their  vegetation. 

The  cuttings  being  thus  prepared,  must  be  planted  im- 
mediately, for  which  purpose  make  holes  in  the  ground 
(about  a  foot  apart  each  way,  if  the  plants  when  raised 
are  to  be  subsequently  transplanted)  with  a  stick  about  the 
size  of  the  cuttings,  and  insert  the  latter  so  that  the  up- 
permost buds  shall  be  just  even  with  the  surface  of  the 
ground.  Press  the  mould  close  around  each  cutting,  in 
order  to  prevent  the  sun  and  air  drying  up  its  juices.  If 
the  mould  should  subsequently  sink  down,  and  leave  the 
buds  above  the  surface,  more  must  be  added  to  keep  them 
even  with  it.  After  the  first  of  May,  care  must  be  taken 
to  keep  the  soil  round  the  cuttings  constantly  moist.  For 
this  purpose  supply  each  cutting  as  often  as  required,  ac- 
cording to  the  state  of  the  weather,  with  about  a  pint  of 
soap-suds ;  and  continue  so  to  do  until  it  has  formed  a 
communication  with  the  soil,  which  will  soon  be  rendered 
apparent  by  the  protrusion  of  a  shoot,  and  its  daily  elonga- 


70  ON    THE    PRUNING    OF    VINES. 

tion.  When  the  bud  bursts,  the  process  of  evaporation 
commences,  and  if  the  moisture  in  the  cutting  be  con- 
sumed quicker  than  the  latter  can  absorb  it  from  the  soil, 
the  young  leaves  turn  yellow  and  die,  and  the  vitality  of 
the  cutting  is  destroyed.  It  is  indispensable,  therefore, 
that  the  soil  round  each  cutting  should  be  constantly  kept 
moist,  in  order  that  the  latter  may  absorb  sufficient  nour- 
ishment to  supply  the  bud  with  food,  until,  by  the  emis- 
sion of  roots  it  has  established  a  communication  with  the 
soil,  and  is  thereby  enabled  to  feed  itself.  As  soon  as  the 
cuttings  have  protruded  shoots  about  three  inches  long,  and 
their  leaves  have  a  healthy  appearance,  watering  may 
cease  for  a  time,  but  throughout  the  summer  when  the 
weather  is  dry,  the  young  plants  should  be  assisted  in  their 
growth  by  the  moderate  application  of  liquid  manure. 
Soap-suds  are  the  best  for  this  purpose,  but  dung-water 
will  do  very  well,  provided  it  be  not  too  powerful.  The 
surface  of  the  soil  round  the  cuttings  should  never  be  al- 
lowed to  cake  or  get  hard,  but  should  be  kept  open  and 
in  a  fresh  and  finely  pulverized  state,  by  being,  as  often  as 
necessary,  forked  lightly  up.  As  the  shoots  advance  in 
growth,  they  must  be  constantly  kept  staked,  or  nailed  to 
the  wall ;  and  their  tendrils  and  lateral  shoots  managed 
throughout  the  summer  in  the  same  manner  as  directed 
with  the  layers.  At  the  fall  of  the  leaf  cut  every  plant 
down  to  the  two  lowermost  buds. 


CHAPTER    IX. 


ON    THE     PRUNING    OF    VINES. 


PRUNING  and  training  are  so  closely  connected  together, 
and  so  mutually  dependant  on  each  other,  that  they  almost 
constitute  one  operation.  In  pruning  a  vine,  regard  must 


ON    THE    PKUNING    OF    VINES.  71 

be  had  to  the  manner  in  which  it  is  afterwards  to  be 
trained ;  and  in  training  it,  the  position  of  the  branches 
must  in  a  great  measure  be  regulated  by  the  mode  in 
which  it  has  previously  been  pruned.  Nevertheless,  the 
two  operations  are  sufficiently  distinct  to  be  treated  of  sep- 
arately, although  many  observations  that  will  be  made, 
will  relate  as  much  to  the  one  as  to  the  other. 

The  chief  object  in  pruning  a  vine  is  to  increase  its  fer- 
tility ;  which  is  effected  by  cutting  out  the  superabundant 
wood  which  it  annually  produces,  and  adjusting  the  num- 
ber and  length  of  the  branches  that  are  to  remain,  to  the 
capacity  of  the  plant  for  the  maturation  of  its  next  crop  of 
fruit,  and  for  the  production  of  future  bearing  wood.  The 
necessity  for  this  operation  will  appear  evident  when  it  is 
considered,  first,  that  the  shoots  of  a  vine  which  bear 
fruit  one  year,  never  bear  any  afterwards  ;  — secondly,  that 
those  parts  of  the  shoots  that  grow  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  summer  are  not  sufficiently  ripened  to  produce  fruit ; 
—  thirdly,  that  a  great  number  of  shoots,  including  those 
that  push  from  the  basis  of  the  buds,  and  which  are  thence 
called  lateral  or  side  shoots,  are  too  small  and  otherwise 
unfit  to  produce  fruit ;  — and  fourthly,  that  a  vine  in  vig- 
orous growth  and  under  judicious  management  will  annu- 
ally produce  a  much  greater  number  of  buds  that  would 
bear  fruit  in  the  following  year,  if  retained,  than  it  can 
possibly  bring  to  perfection.  To  get  rid,  therefore,  of  all 
this  useless  and  superabundant  wood,  the  operation  of 
pruning  must  be  resorted  to  ;  and  as  the  excess  is  very 
great,  the  pruning  knife  must  be  exercised  in  a  corres- 
pondingly severe  manner,  in  order  to  restore  the  balance 
betwixt  the  roots  and  the  branches.  From  these  consid- 
erations it  follows,  that  the  judicious  pruning  of  a  vine,  is 
one  of  the  most  important  points  of  culture  throughout 
the  whole  routine  of  its  management. 

There  are  three  methods  of  pruning  the  vine,  in  prac- 
tice amongst  gardeners;  namely:  long  pruning,  spur  prun- 
ing, and  the  fan  or  fruit  tree  method.  The  first  men- 


72  ON    THE    PRUNING    OF    VINES. 

tioned  is  that  which  will  herafter  be  shewn  to  be  the  most 
eligible  method  of  pruning  the  vine,  which,  with  respect 
to  this  point  of  culture,  requires  to  be  treated  very  differ- 
ently to  every  other  description  of  fruit  tree  cultivated  in 
this  country.  Many  elaborate  directions  on  this  subject 
have  been  given  by  writers  on  gardening  :  but  these  being 
in  general  based  upon  no  definite  principle,  cannot  with 
any  degree  of  certainty  be  reduced  to  practice.  The  truth 
is,  that  although  the  fertility  of  a  vine  depends  in  a  great 
measure  on  the  manner  in  which  it  is  pruned  from  time  to 
time ;  and  that,  for  various  reasons,  the  operation  may  be 
supposed  by  those  who  are  unacquainted  with  the  nature 
of  the  plant,  to  be  intricate,  and  to  require  a  considerable 
portion  of  skill,  yet,  the  contrary  is  the  fact:  for,  if  the 
principle  on  which  it  is  to  be  performed,  be  carefully  kept 
in  view,  the  whole  art  of  pruning  a  vine  lies  in  a  nut  shell. 

In  order  to  render  this  art  as  clear  as  possible,  the  rea- 
sons on  which  it  is  founded  require  to  be  distinctly  shewn. 
For  this  purpose,  it  is  necessary  to  make  an  important  pre- 
liminary remark —  namely:  that  the  old  wood  of  a  vine, 
or  that  which  hag  previously  borne  fruit,  is  not  only  of  no 
further  use  at  any  subsequent  period,  but  is  a  positive  in- 
jury to  the  fertility  of  the  plant.  The  truth  of  this  remark 
depends  on  the  fact,  that  every  branch  of  a  vine  that  pro- 
duces no  foliage,  appropriates  for  its  own  support  a  portion 
of  the  juices  of  the  plant  that  is  generated  by  those  branch- 
es that  do  produce  foliage.  To  prove  this  -fact,  and  to 
make  it  as  clear  as  possible,  it  will  be  necessary  to  describe 
briefly,  and  in  part,  the  process  by  which  the  life  of  a  vine 
is  sustained  and  its  parts  annually  nourished. 

The  first  movement  of  the  sap  in  the  spring  takes  place 
in  the  branches,  and  lastly  in  the  roots.  The  buds,  in 
consequence  of  the  increasing  temperature  of  the  air,  first 
swell  and  attract  the  sap  in  their  vicinity.  This  fluid, 
having  lain  dormant,  or  nearly  so,  throughout  the  preced- 
ing winter,  becomes  gradually  expanded  by  the  influence 
of  the  solar  rays,  and  supplies  the  buds  with  nourishment 


ON    THE    PRUNING    OP    VINES.  73 

from  the  parts  immediately  below  them.  The  vessels 
which  yield  this  supply,  becoming  in  consequence  exhaust- 
ed, are  quickly  filled  by  fluid  from  the  parts  below  them, 
and  in  this  mariner  the  motion  continues  until  it  reaches 
the  roots,  the  grand  reservoir  of  the  sap;  by  which  time, 
the  solar  heat  having  penetrated  the  soil,  the  roots  begin 
to  feel  its  enlivening  influence.  The  whole  body  of  sap 
then  begins  to  move  upwards  ;  and  as  soon  as  the  quantity 
propelled  is  more  than  sufficient  to  distend  all  the  vessels 
in  the  stem  and  the  branches,  the  buds  begin  to  elongate 
and  unfold.  This  takes  place  in  general  about  the  ver- 
nal equinox.  From  this  time,  the  fluid  becoming  more 
expanded  every  hour,  its  ascent  is  simultaneously  increased 
in  force  and  velocity.  The  vessels  in  the  branches  being 
filled  to  repletion,  the  buds  quickly  open,  and  shoots  and 
leaves  rapidly  protrude.  The  beginning  of  May  arrives  ; 
and  by  that  time,  the  sap  being  in  full  motion,  all  is  life, 
vigor,  and  activity,  from  one  extremity  of  the  vine  to  the 
other. 

The  leaves  attract  the  sap  as  soon  as  it  reaches  their  vi- 
cinity ;  and  by  one  of  the  most  wonderful  processes  that 
can  be  conceived,  the  result  of  exquisite  organization,  elab- 
orate and  prepare  it,  and  render  it  fit  for  the  nourishment 
of  all  the  parts  of  the  plant.  The  sap,  after  being  thus 
prepared,  is  called  the  proper  juice  of  the  plant.  It  then 
returns  downwards  betwixt  the  bark  and  the  alburnum  ; 
and,  in  its  descent,  is  distributed  laterally  to  every  part  of 
the  plant,  until  it  finally  reaches  the  extremities  of  the 
roots.  During  its  descent,  a  considerable  portion  of  it  is 
expended  in  the  formation  of  a  concentric  layer  of  woody 
substance  betwixt  the  bark  and  the  wood,  on  every  branch 
and  also  on  the  stem ;  which  layer  becomes  the  new  al- 
burnum. 

Now,  it  is  of  importance  to  remember  that  every  branch 
annually  requires  this  new  concentric  layer  ;  that  this  lay- 
er is  formed  from  the  proper  juice  prepared  in  the  leaves  j 
and  that  the  thickness  or  thinness  of  this  layer  depends  on 


74  ON    THE    PRUNING    OF    VINES. 

the  proportion  which  the  quantity  of  proper  juice  so  pre- 
pared bears  to  the  number,  length,  and  size  of  the  branch- 
es which  it  has,  in  its  descent,  to  cover  and  feed. . 

If,  therefore,  the  foliage  of  a  vine  be  strong  and  vig- 
orous in  its  growth,  and  there  be  no  naked  branches  be- 
twixt the  shoots  which  produce  the  foliage  and  the  stem ; 
then  the  proper  juice,  in  its  descent,  will  deposit  on  the 
stem  a  thick  layer,  and  will  also  descend  into  the  roots  in 
great  quantity.  Bat  if  there  be  a  great  number  of  naked 
branches  which  the  proper  juice  in  its  descent  has  to  clothe 
and  nourish  ;  then,  having  to  spread  itself  over  a  much 
greater  surface,  the  new  layer  will  be  comparatively  a  thin 
one,  and  the  surplus  left  to  enter  the  roots  proportionately 
lessened  in  quantity.  And  further,  if  the  foliage  be  weak 
which  is  invariably  indicated  by  the  shoots  and  leaves  be- 
ing small  in  size,  and  sickly  in  appearance,  and  the  vine 
contain  many  naked  branches,  then  the  quantity  of  proper 
juice  prepared  in  the  leaves,  will  be  so  small  in  proportion 
to  the  demands  which  in  its  descent  will  be  made  upon  it, 
that  a  new  layer  will  with  difficulty  be  formed  at  all, 
while  but  a  very  small  portion  of  the  proper  juice  will  be 
left  to  descend  into  the  roots. 

Again :  the  formation  of  this  concentric  layer  being 
continued  from  the  stem  downwards  on  all  the  roots,  the 
latter  become  increased  in  their  solid  diameter,  in  direct 
proportion  to  the  quantity  of  the  proper  juice  which  they 
thus  receive.  Whatever,  therefore,  contributes  to  dimin- 
ish this  quantity  of  proper  juice,  prevents,  in  a  proportion- 
ate degree,  the  growth  of  the  roots  ;  while  on  the  other 
hand,  whatever  causes  an  increase  of  it,  produces  effects 
precisely  opposite.  Further  :  there  is  no  reason  to  believe 
that  the  naked  branches  of  a  vine,  especially  such  as  are 
more  than  two  or  three  years  old,  are  in  any  way  instru- 
mental in  increasing  the  volume  of  sap  in  its  ascent :  the 
processes  of  transpiration  and  absorption  which  they  carry 
on,  being  limited  in  their  effects  to  the  preservation  of 
their  own  vitality. 


ON    THE    PRUNING    OF    VINES.  75 

From  the  foregoing  observations,  therefore,  it  appears 
that  every  naked  branch  of  a  vine,  or  one  that  does  not 
directly  produce  foliage,  diminishes  the  capacity  of  the 
plant  for  the  production  of  young  bearing  shoots,  inasmuch 
as  it  contributes  nothing  to  the  growth  of  the  vine  ;  but, 
on  the  contrary,  requires  to  be  fed  annually  with  a  certain 
portion  of  the  elaborated  juice  of  the  plant,  which  would 
otherwise  be  expended  in  the  enlargement  of  the  diameter 
of  its  stem,  and  thereby  the  increase  of  its  capacity  to  ma- 
ture fruit  ;  and  in  the  extension  and  multiplication  of  its 
roots.  Naked  branches,  therefore,  are  consumers  but  not 
producers  ;  or  in  other  words,  drones  in  the  hive.  If  the 
vine  were  cultivated  for  the  sake  of  its  wood,  the  case 
would  be  different.  The  growth  and  extension  of  large 
branches  and  the  increase  of  their  diameters,  would  then 
be  the  legitimate  object  in  view  ;  but  when  fruit  only  is 
sought,  and  the  operation  of  pruning  resorted  to  in  order 
to  obtain  the  largest  quantity  within  the  smallest  possible 
extent  of  a  given  surface  of  walling,  it  is  obvious  that  no 
description  of  wood  should  be  suffered  to  remain  in  a 
vine,  but  such  as  directly  contributes  in  some  way  or  oth- 
er to  the  production  of  fruit. 

It  follows,  therefore,  that  as  the  sole  object  in  view  in 
pruning  a  vine,  is  to  increase  its  fertility  ;  the  best  method 
to  accomplish  this,  must  be  that  which  leaves  a  sufficient 
supply  of  bearing  shoots  on  the  least  possible  proportion- 
ate quantity  of  old  wood. 

It  will  be  necessary  now  to  examine  which  of  the  three 
methods  of  pruning,  before  mentioned,  agrees  best  with 
the  principle  here  laid  down.  First,  therefore,  of 

The  fan  method.  Vines  pruned  according  to  this 
method,  have  their  branches  trained  in  from  their  stems 
in  a  similar  manner  to  the  spokes  of  a  fan.  To  this 
method,  there  are  several  objections ;  the  two  principal  of 
which,  are, — first,  the  shoots  in  the  vicinity  of  the  stem 
are  too  near  each  other  to  admit  of  either  the  wood  or 
fruit  being  properly  matured ;  and  too  far  distant  from 


76  ON   THE    PRUNING    OF    VINES. 

each  other  at  their  extremities  to  allow  of  the  fruit  being 
judiciously  shaded  and  protected  by  the  foliage  of  the 
adjacent  shoots.  And  secondly,  a  vine  pruned  to  be  trained 
in  this  manner,  must  of  necessity  possess  several  branch- 
es radiating  as  it  were  from  a  common  centre.  These 
branches  cannot  conveniently  be  trained  otherwise  than  in 
straight  lines,  and  betwixt  a  horizontal  and  a  vertical  posi- 
tion, which  is  the  most  objectionable  position  that  the  fruit- 
ing shoots  of  a  vine  can  occupy,  because  the  ascent  of  the 
sap  is  thereby  facilitated  ;  in  consequence  of  which,  all  the 
lowermost  buds  break  very  weakly,  and  some  not  at  all, 
while  the  sap  flies  with  such  force  to  the  extremities,  that 
scarcely  any  good  bearing  shoots  Can  be  made  to  grow 
from  the  vicinity  of  the  stem.  This  necessarily  causes 
the  retention  of  old  naked  wood  at  the  autumnal  pruning, 
and  this  annually  increasing  in  distance  from  the  stem,  no 
species  of  pruning  will  prevent  it  occupying,  in  a  short 
time,  a  disproportionate  extent  of  the  surface  of  the  wall, 
and  causing  all  the  fruit  to  be  borne  at  the  extremities  of 
the  branches.  Other  objections  might  be  urged,  but  the 
foregoing  sufficiently  shew  that  without  very  disad- 
vantageous results,  vines  cannot  be  pruned  to  be  trained 
in  the  fruit-tree  method. 

Spur  pruning.  This  is  the  usual  method  adopted 
throughout  the  country  in  the  pruning  of  vines ;  but 
although  almost  universally  practised,  it  is  calculated  in  a 
high  degree  to  create  a  large  scaffolding  or  superstructure 
of  old  naked  wood.  A  spur  may  be  defined  to  be  a  shoot, 
shortened  so  as  to  contain  not  more  than  four  buds.  If  a 
shoot  contain  jive  buds,  it  cannot  with  propriety  be  called 
a  spur.  Spur  pruning,  therefore,  is  the  annual  shortening 
of  the  fruit-bearing  shoots  of  a  vine,  so  that  each  shall 
contain  not  more  than  four  buds.  This  being  premised,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  point  out  in  as  distinct  a  manner  as 
possible,  the  disadvantages  attending  this  method  of 
pruning  a  vine. 

First,  every  shoot  that  is  sufficiently  large  to  bear  fruit, 


ON   THE    PRUNING    OF    VINES.  77 

emitted  by  an  established  vine,  if  it  be  trained  at  full 
length  throughout  the  summer,  in  the  manner  hereafter 
mentioned  in  the  chapter  on  training,  will  produce  at  least 
twenty  good  well-ripened  fruit  buds,  and  each  of  these  in 
the  following  year  will  produce  on  an  average  two  bunches 
of  grapes,  so  that  a  shoot  of  this  description  will  bear 
forty  bunches.  Now,  if  a  shoot  be  shortened  to  three 
buds,  which  is  the  number  that  spurs,  on  ah  average, 
usually  contain,  two  of  these  will  be  almost  useless,  being 
but  imperfectly  formed,  and  therefore  seldom  producing 
fruit.  Only  the  uppermost  bud  can  be  depended  upon  to 
shew  fruit ;  and  consequently,  in  order  to  ensure  the  pro- 
duction of  as  many  bunches  of  fruit  as  the  single  shoot 
will  bear,  not  less  than  twenty  spurs  must  be  provided. 
This  is  the  parent  of  many  evils.  First,  these  spurs,  if 
joined  together,  would  be  nearly  three  times  the  length  of 
the  single  shoot ;  the  surface  of  the  wall,  therefore,  which 
they  occupy,  will  yield  only  one  third  of  the  quantity  of 
fruit  produced  from  that '  on  which  the  single  shoot  is 
trained.  Secondly,  the  latter  can  be  nailed  to  the  wall 
with  Jive  nails,  whereas  the  twenty  spurs  will  require 
twenty  nails,  and  as  many  holes  will  be  made  in  the  joints 
of  the  wall  by  driving  them  in.  This  evil  is  not  a  light 
one.  Moreover,  a  fourfold  degree  of  trouble  and  time  will 
be  required  to  nail  and  unnail  these  spurs,  beyond  that 
necessary  for  the  single  shoot.  Thirdly,  the  fruit  pro- 
duced from  the  latter  will  be  far  superior,  both  in  size  and 
flavor,  to  that  borne  by  the  spurs,  for  this  reason,  —  the 
best  grapes  are  uniformly  produced  from  the  fullest  sized 
and  best  ripened  buds,  and  these  are  generated  on  the 
shoots  from  the  beginning  of  May  to  the  middle  of  July, 
and  in  moderately  vigorous  vines,  range  in  order  on  each 
shoot  from  the  fourth  bud,  to  about  the  twentieth  ;  but  if 
a  vine  be  well  established  and  very  vigorous  in  its  growth, 
it  will,  under  a  judicious  system  of  pruning,  produce  on  a 
single  shoot,  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  buds,  within  that 


78  ON    THE    PRUNING    OF    VINES. 

space  of  time.  If  a  shoot  be  spurred,  therefore,  to  three 
buds,  it  will  contain  none,  and  if  to  /owr,  only  one  of 
these  well  ripened  buds,  all  the  rest  will  have  been  cut  off 
in  the  pruning,  or,  what  is  tantamount  to  it,  the  shoots 
will  have  been  pinched  back  in  the  early  part  of  the  sum- 
mer, just  as  the  vine  was  entering  its  most  vigorous  state 
of  vegetation,  and  about  to  generate  the  very  best  descrip- 
tion of  fruit  buds. 

Secondly,  the  cutting  down  of  the  single  shoot  in  au- 
tumn to  one  or  two  buds,  in  order  that  it  may  produce  in 
the  next  summer  a  strong  and  vigorous  shoot  to  be  reserved 
as  a  fruit  bearer,  occasions  to  the  vine  only  one  wound, 
but  the  pruning  of  the  three  shoots  that  have  pushed  from 
each  of  the  spurs  will  occasion  sixty  wounds.  This  is 
another  most  serious  evil,  for  though  a  vine  from  its  in- 
herent nature  commands  an  immense  volume  of  sap,  and 
can  therefore  easily  overcome  a  wound  here  and  there 
inflicted  by  the  pruning  knife,  it  does  not  follow  that  it 
can  overcome  these  wounds  when  they  are  multiplied  by 
scores,  and  even  by  hundreds,  without  making  such  extra- 
ordinary efforts  as  would  materially  compromise  its  vital 
energies.  The  fact  is,  that  the  immense  number  of 
wounds  caused  by  spur  pruning  are  highly  injurious  to 
the  health  of  a  vine. 

If  any  doubt  be  entertained  on  this  point,  let  a  shoot 
that  has  been  spurred  five  or  six  years  successively,  be 
taken  and  slit  open  lengthways,  and  it  will  be  seen  dis- 
tinctly, that  the  union  which  has  annually  taken  place 
betwixt  the  older  and  younger  wood,  has  not  been  effected 
without  a  considerable  effort  on  the  part  of  the  vine.  At 
the  points  of  union,  the  sap  vessels  will  be  all  crippled, 
and  in  some  instances  the  wood  will  be  found  to  have 
died  back  nearly  to  the  centre  of  the  shoot ;  and  the  sap 
being  intercepted  at  so  many  points  in  its  ascent,  flows 
through  the  parent  limb  to  the  extreme  horizontal  shoots, 
thereby  generating  the  most  vigorous  bearing  wood  at  a 
great  distance  from  the  stem  of  the  vine.  The  proper 


ON   THE    PRUNING    OF    VINES.  79 

juice  of  the  plant  is  also  in  its  descent,  very  uselessly  ex- 
pended in  vainly  endeavoring  to  cover  with  a  new  al- 
burnum these  numerous  scars  made  by  the  pruning  knife, 
around  the  edges  of  which  it  accumulates  in  considerable 
quantity. 

Moreover,  although  by  pruning  a  vine  its  fertility  is  in- 
creased, its  existence  is  no  doubt  thereby  shortened.  The 
severing  of  a  healthy  branch  from  any  tree  is  without 
doubt  doing  an  act  of  violence  to  it,  the  effects  of  which 
are  only  overcome  by  the  superior  strength  of  the  vegeta- 
tive powers  of  its  roots.  By  annually  making  many 
scores  of  amputations  in  a  vine,  therefore,  the  energies  of 
the  roots  become  paralyzed,  and  the  efforts  which  nature 
is  compelled  to  make  for  self-preservation  are  such  as  to 
affect  to  a  considerable  extent  the  vital  powers  of  the 
plant. 

Thirdly,  by  adopting  the  spur  system  in  the  pruning  of 
a  vine,  the  old  branches  must  be  retained,  because  it  is  on 
these  that  the  spurs  are  formed.  These  branches  being 
annually  lengthened,  and  new  spurs  created  at  their  ex- 
tremities, while  the  former  spurs  become  longer  and  more 
naked  every  year,  the  vine  in  a  few  years  contains  an  im- 
mense assemblage  of  old  naked  limbs,  presenting  the  most 
unsightly  appearance  imaginable,  and  occupying  the  sur- 
face of  the  wall  to  the  entire  exclusion  of  young  bearing 
shoots.  The  disadvantages  of  retaining  old  wood  having 
been  already  pointed  out,  it  is  only  necessary  further  to 
observe,  that  these  disadvantages  are  produced  to  the 
greatest  possible  extent  by  spur  pruning. 

For  the  foregoing  reasons,  therefore,  this  method  may 
be  considered  the  most  objectionable  that  can  be  adopted 
in  the  pruning  of  vines  on  open  walls.  It  may,  perhaps, 
be  practised  with  success  on  vines  under  glass,  and  also  in 
warmer  climates,  because,  in  such  cases  the  sap  being  far 
more  highly  elaborated,  will  produce  fruit  from  the  buds 
seated  at  the  base  of  the  spurs.  Such  spurs,  therefore, 
need  not  be  more  than  from  half  an  inch  to  an  inch  in 


80  ON    THE    PRUNING    OF    VINES. 

length,  and  they  may  with  ease  be  retained  for  several 
successive  years  without  becoming  much  longer.  The 
results  of  spur  pruning  under  such  circumstances,  are  very 
different  from  those  which  follow  that  method  when  prac- 
tised on  vines  trained  on  the  open  wall  in  this  country. 

Long  pruning.  This  method  consists  in  obtaining  all 
the  fruit  of  a  vine  from  a  few  shoots,  trained  at  full  length, 
instead  of  from  a  great  number  of  spurs  or  short  shoots. 
To  provide  these  shoots,  the  former  bearers  are  cut  down 
to  very  short  spurs  at  the  autumnal  pruning,  and  at  the 
same  time  a  sufficient  number  of  shoots  are  left  at  whole 
length  to  produce  fruit  in  the  following  year ;  at  the  suc- 
ceeding autumn  these  latter  are  cut  down  to  very  short 
spurs,  and  the  long  shoots  that  have  pushed  from  the  spurs 
.are  trained  at  whole  length  as  before,  and  so  on  annually 
in  alternate  succession.  This  method  recommends  itself 
by  its  simplicity  ;  by  the  old  wood  of  the  vine  being  an- 
nually got  rid  of;  by  the  small  number  of  wounds  inflicted 
in  the  pruning  ;  by  the  clear  and  handsome  appearance  of 
the  vine  ;  and  by  the  great  ease  with  which  it  is  managed, 
in  consequence  of  its  occupying  but  a  small  portion  of  the 
surface  of  the  wall.  These  characteristics  of  long  prun- 
ing are  sufficient  to  make  that  method  superior  to  every 
other.  As  the  details  of  it  are  given  more  fully  in  the  two 
following  chapters,  it  is  not  necessary  to  describe  it  further 
here.  Before  entering  on  the  subject  of  trainings,  a  few 
general  rules  may  be  advantageously  laid  down  for  the 
guidance  of  the  pruner. 

1st.  In  pruning,  always  cut  upwards  and  in  a  sloping  di- 
rection. 

2d.  Always  leave  an  inch  of  blank  wood  beyond  a  ter- 
minal bud,  and  let  the  cut  be  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
bud. 

3d.  Prune  so  as  to  leave  as  few  wounds  as  possible,  and 
let  the  surface  of  every  cut  be  perfectly  smooth. 

4th.  In  cutting  out  an  old  branch,  prune  it  even  with 
the  parent  limb,  that  the  wound  may  quickly  heal. 


ON   THE    TRAINING    OF    VINES.  81 

5th.  Prune  so  as  to  obtain  the  quantity  of  fruit  desired, 
on  the  smallest  number  of  shoots  possible. 

6th.  Never  prune  in  frosty  weather,  nor  when  a  frost  is 
expected. 

7th.  Never  prune  in  the  months  of  March,  April,  or 
May.  Pruning  in  either  of  these  months  causes  bleeding, 
and  occasions  thereby  a  wasteful  and  an  injurious  expendi- 
ture of  sap. 

8th.  Let  the  general  autumnal  pruning  take  place  as 
soon  after  the  first  of  October  as  the  gathering  of  the  fruit 
will  permit. 

Lastly,  use  a  pruning-knife  of  the  best  description,  and 
let  it  be,  if  possible,  as  sharp  as  a  razor. 


CHAPTER    X. 


ON    THE    TRAINING    OF    VINES. 

To  train  a  vine  on  the  surface  of  a  wall,  is  to  regulate 
the  position  of  its  branches,  the  principal  objects  of  which 
are,  to  protect  them  from  the  influence  of  the  wind  ;  to 
bring  them  into  close  contact  with  the  wall  for  the  pur- 
pose of  receiving  the  benefit  of  its  warmth  ;  to  spread 
them  at  proper  distances  from  each  other,  that  the  foliage 
and  fruit  may  receive  the  full  effect  of  the  sun's  rays;  and 
to  retard  the  motion  of  the  sap  for  the  purpose  of  induc- 
ing the  formation  of  fruit  buds. 

The  flow  of  sap,  it  must  be  remembered,  is  always 
strongest  in  a  vertical  direction,  and  weakest  in  a  down- 
ward one  ;  thus,  if  a  shoot  be  trained  in  the  direction  of  a, 
fig.  1,  the  sap  will  ascend  with  the  greatest  degree  of  force 


82 


ON    THE    TRAINING    OF    VINES. 


Fig-  1. 


with  which  the  strength  of  the  roots  can  propel  it ;  if  it 
be  trained  in  the  direction  of  b,  c,  or  d,  that  force  will  be 
gradually  diminished  as  the  shoot  approaches  the  horizon- 
tal position  of  d;  nevertheless,  the  difference  in  the  flow 
of  the  sap  betwixt  the  shoot  at  a,  and  that  at  d,  will  not 
be  very  great.  Immediately,  however,  the  horizontal  line 
d  is  passed,  and  the  shoot  depressed  below  it  in  the  direc- 
tion of  e,  the  sap  receives  a  considerable  check,  and  the 
shoots  that  push  from  it  are  proportionately  weak.  If 
trained  in  the  direction  of  /,  they  will  be  weaker  still,  and 
if  directly  downwards,  as  at  g,  the  supply  of  sap  will  be 
barely  sufficient  to  mature  the  fruit.  And  further,  if  the 
shoot,  instead  of  being  trained  in  a  straight  line,  be  bent 
in  a  crooked  or  serpentine  manner,  the  flow  of  the  sap 
will  be  additionally  retarded.  Thus,  if  it  be  trained  in  a 
serpentine  manner  resembling  the  line  h  fig.  2,  the  sap 

Fig.  2. 


will  flow  slower  than  if  trained  in  a  straight  line  ;  if  like 
the  lines  i,'k,  I,  successively  slower,  the  degree  of  slow- 
ness increasing  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  bends  or 


ON    THE    TRAINING    OF    VINES. 


83 


curves  which  the  shoot  is  made  to  assume.  If,  therefore, 
the  shoot  g,  fig.  1,  be  closely  serpentined  in  the  manner 
of  the  line  /,  fig.  2,  the  sap  will  be  so  retarded  that  many 
of  the  buds  will  not  burst  at  all. 

Now,  to  apply  to  a  practical  purpose,  this  principle  of 
retarding  the  ascent  of  the  sap,  by  depressing  or  serpen- 
tining the  shoots  of  a  vine,  it  will  be  convenient  to  treat 
of  it  in  reference  to  winter  training  and  summer  training. 

Winter  training.  When  the  shoots  are  nailed  to  the 
wall  in  the  early  part  of  the  year,  those  which  are  trained 
at  full  length  as  fruit  bearers,  are,  in  all  cases,  to  be  cut 
down  to  the  lowermost  bud  or  two  at  the  next  autumnal 
pruning.  With  respect,  therefore,  to  all  such  shoots,  no 
greater  supply  of  sap  should  be  permitted  to  flow  into 
them  than  is  necessary  to  mature  their  fruit,  as  all  above 
that  quantity  will  be  so  much  nourishment  uselessly  ex- 
pended, and  taken  indeed  from  the  young  shoots  that  are 
to  be  produced  in  the  current  year  for  future  bearers.  For 
example,  if  the  shoots  1,  2,  3,  4,  fig.  3,  were  trained  in 

Fig,  3, 
-.9 


straight  lines,  the  sap  would  ascend  with  such  force  that 
many  of  the  lowermost  buds  would  scarcely  break  at  all, 


84  ON   THE    TRAINING    OF    VINES. 

the  sap  passing  by  them,  and  accumulating  in  those  at  the 
upper  part  of  the  shoots,  which  would  burst  with  great 
force  and  form  very  strong  shoots ;  these  would  rob  all  the 
fruit  on  those  below  of  its  due  share  of  nourishment,  and 
also  the  shoots  emitted  from  the  spurs  D  ;  which,  to  form 
good  bearing  wood,  require  as  great  a  supply  as  the  fruiting 
shoots.  It  is  true,  that  by  pinching  off  the  extremities  of 
these  latter  ones  in  the  spring  an  eye  or  two  above  the 
last  bunch  of  fruit,  the  sap  will  be  partially  kept  back,  but 
the  ascending  current  having  set  in  very  strongly,  it  can- 
not be  diverted  into  the  other  channels  in  which  it  is  re- 
quired, except  in  a  comparatively  trifling  degree.  But  if, 
as  represented  in  the  above  figure,  the  shoots  be  trained  in 
a  serpentine  manner  in  the  early  part  of  the  year,  before 
the  sap  is  in  motion,  it  will,  in  its  ascent,  be  thereby  made 
to  flow  more  equally  into  all  the  fruiting  shoots  that  push 
from  them,  arid  also  into  those  which  will  be  emitted  from 
the  spurs  D,  for  future  bearers.  And  by  bending  the  bot- 
tom part  of  the  shoots  pretty  circularly  at  a,  the  buds  will 
there  burst  strongly,  and  thus  a  good  supply  of  bearing 
wood  will  be  obtained  close  to  the  arms  Z  Z,  which  is  of 
primary  importance  ;  for,  if  by  injudicious  pruning  or 
training,  or  both  combined,  the  sap  have  an  opportunity  of 
exerting  its  full  force  at  a  distance  from  the  arms,  it  is 
sure  to  embrace  it,  and  the  consequence  is,  that  blank 
wood  begins  immediately  to  be  formed  in  all  directions 
near  the  stem,  and  when  that  is  the  case,  no  method  of 
pruning  will  ever  again  procure  a  supply  of  bearing  wood 
at  home,  short  of  cutting  the  vine  down  to  a  perfect  stump. 
In  training  the  shoots  1,  2,  3,  4,  the  spaces  between  them 
must  be  regulated  by  the  number  of  shoots  intended  to 
be  trained  up  from  the  spurs  D.  Each  of  these  latter  will 
require  five  inches  of  clear  space  on  each  side  of  it,  and 
the  former  nine,  for  the  fruiting  shoots,  (as  represented  by 
the  dotted  lines  e  f  g  h  at  the  shoot  1.)  These  shoots, 
producing  on  an  average  two  bunches  each,  are  to  be  top- 
ped one  joint  beyond  the  last  bunch,  as  directed  in  the 
Calendarial  Register. 


ON    THE    TRAINING    OF    VINES.  85 

For  the  foregoing  reasons,  therefore,  the  method  of  ser- 
pentine training  may  be  considered  preferable  to  every 
other,  being  calculated  in  a  greater  degree  to  check 
the  too  rapid  ascent  of  the  sap,  and  to  make  it  flow  more 
equally  into  the.  fruiting  shoots  and  those  intended  for 
future  bearers.  On  walls  that  are  much  less  than  five 
feet  high,  a  portion  of  the  shoots  must  be  trained  horizon- 
tally. Let  fig.  4  represent  a  wall  four  feet  high,  and  let 

Fig.  4. 


the  face  of  it  be  divided  into  equal  parallel  portions  of 
twelve  inches  in  height  by  the  horizontal  lines  1,  2,  3,  4; 
then,  on  each  side  of  the  stem,  from  the  arms  A,  A,  may 
be  trained  two  fruiting  shoots  at  2  and  4,  and  the  same 
number  of  current  year's  shoots  at  the  dotted  lines  above 
1  and  3.  And  in  like  manner,  half  that  number  of  shoots 
may  be  easily  trained  on  a  wall  two  feet  high.  The 
pruning  in  these  cases  will  be  precisely  the  same  as  if  the 
shoots  were  trained  vertically,  as  in  fig.  3.  In  a  similar 
manner,  also,  a  series  of  vines  may  be  trained  on  a  high 
wall,  allowing  to  each  a  certain  parallel  space  in  a  horizon- 
tal direction,  and  running  the  stems  to  such  heights  as  the 
arms  of  each  vine  are  to  be  trained.  And  when  the  height 
of  a  wall  exceeds  eight  or  nine  feet,  this  method  may  be 
adopted  with  great  advantage  ;  for,  by  planting  the  vines 
sufficiently  close  to  each  other,  the  surface  of  the  wall 
may  in  a  very  few  years  be  completely  covered  with 
fruit  and  bearing  wood. 

It  must  be  remarked,  in  reference  to  the  winter  training 
of  the  shdots,  that  when  they  are  trained  in  a  horizontal 
manner,  there  is  not  that  necessity  for  serpentining  them 


86  ON    THE    TRAINING    OF    VINES. 

as  when  they  are  trained  vertically ;  unless  the  vegetation 
of  the  vine  be  so  extremely  vigorous,  as  to  generate  wild 
or  long-jointed  wood.  It  may  also  be  further  mentioned, 
that  every  shoot  trained  in  a  serpentine  manner,  ought  to 
be  wholly  cut  down  at  the  next  autumnal  pruning  after  it 
has  borne  fruit,  as  the  further  retention  of  it  would  produce 
great  confusion  in  the  future  training  of  the  shoots. 

Summer  training.  In  order  tharthe  principles  on 
which  this  important  point  of  culture  is  based,  should  be 
clearly  understood,  it  will  be  necessary  to  point  out  as 
distinctly  as  possible,  the  circumstances  under  which  bear- 
ing wood  is  produced. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that  the  fruit  of  the  vine  is 
produced  on  shoots  of  the  preceding  year's  growth,  or,  in 
other  words,  the  grapes  that  are  grown  in  the  present  year 
1834,  are  produced  from  shoots  grown  in  1833.  Now, 
during  the  growth  of  a  current  year's  shoot,  all  the  buds, 
which  it  develops  previously  to  the  month  of  August,  will 
be  fruit  buds,  provided,  first,  —  that  the  size  of  the  shoot 
be  large  enough  for  its  vessels  to  convey  a  sufficient  quan- 
tity of  the  juices  of  the  plant  to  generate  and  nourish 
bunches  of  fruit  in  embryo ;  and  secondly,  —  that  the 
shoot  be  duly  exposed  to  light,  and  to  the  full  operation  of 
the  sun's  rays,  on  the  surface  of  a  wall,  having  any  aspect, 
south  of  and  including  the  eastern  and  western  points  of 
the  horizon,  by  which  these  juices  will  be  elaborated,  and 
the  process  of  the  formation  of  fruit  buds  thereby  com- 
pleted. If,  therefore,  the  shoot  itself  be  not  sufficiently 
large  to  develop  fruit  buds,  or  if,  being  so,  it  be  shaded 
from  the  sun's  rays  during  the  first  protrusion  and  early 
formation  of  them,  then,  in  the  following  year,  shoots  only 
will  be  produced,  but  no  fruit.  But,  on  the  contrary,  if 
the  shoot,  being  of  a  proper  fruit-bearing  size,  be  constant- 
ly trained  on  the  surface  of  a  wall  having  any  of  the  as- 
pects beforementioned,  and  a  clear  space  of  five  inches  be 
left  on  each  side  of  it,  by  which  no  adjacent  foliage  will 
shade  it ;  then,  under  these  circumstances,  every  bud  (ex- 


ON   THE    TRAINING    OF    VINES.  87 

cept  the  two  first)  produced  previously  to  the  month  already 
named,  will  be  a  fruit  bud,  and  will  shew  accordingly, 
when  it  unfolds  in  the  following  year,  one  or  more  bunches 
of  grapes. 

The  cause  of  the  production  of  fruit  buds  in  the  latter 
instance,  and  of  their  non-production  in  the  former,  may  be 
thus  further  explained.  As  the  shoot  is  progressively 
developed,  if  it  be  shaded  by  any  adjacent  foliage,  the  sap 
of  the  shaded  part  remains  in  its  original  thin  and  watery 
state,  being  excluded  from  the  sun's  rays,  which  are  neces- 
sary to  warm  and  elaborate  it,  and  thereby  prepare  it  for 
the  development  of  bunches  of  fruit  in  embryo.  The  sap 
being  thus  thin  and  watery  for  want  of  due  exposure  to 
the  sun,  pushes  on,  with  amazing  quickness,  —  the  shoot 
elongating  itself  on  the  surface  of  the  wall  much  more 
rapidly  than  it  otherwise  would  do,  thereby  forming  long 
jointed  wood,  not  one  bud  of  which  will  be  sufficiently 
matured  to  produce  fruit ;  the  principle  of  growth  having 
been  in  full  operation,  but  that  of  maturation  having 
remained  dormant.  But  if  the  shoot  be  trained  on  the 
wall,  and  exposed  to  the  full  power  of  the  solar  rays  in 
the  manner  already  mentioned,  the  sap,  by  being  warmed, 
becomes  thickened,  or,  as  it  is  termed,  inspissated,  in  which 
state  it  accumulates  at  the  joints  of  the  shoot,  and  expends 
itself  in  the  formation  of  fruit  buds.  In  this  case  the 
principles  of  growth  and  of  maturation,  will  have  been  in 
active  co-operation. 

I  have  had  good  grapes  produced  from  buds,  formed  as 
late  as  the  beginning  of  September  in  a  favorable  season, 
and  also  from  shoots  trained  within  three  inches  of  each 
other,  as  well  as  on  aspects  considerably  north  of  the 
eastern  and  western  points  of  the  horizon  ;  but  as  there  is 
some  degree  of  uncertainty  attached  in  these  cases,  they 
are  rejected  in  the  rule,  lest  the  practical  operation  of  it 
might  in  some  instances  be  productive  of  disappointment, 

I  know  of  no  exception  to  this  rule  for  procuring  the 
development  and  formation  of  fruit  buds,  except  in  the  case 


88  ON    THE    TRAINING    OF    VJNES. 

of  a  vine  having  been  overcropped,  or  in  that  of  an  ex- 
ceedingly vigorous  growth  of  the  shoots,  the  result  of  the 
soil  being  too  highly  manured.  But  the  former  can  never 
happen,  if  the  quantity  of  fruit  borne  by  the  vine  be  pro- 
portioned to  its  capacity  of  maturation,  agreeably  to  the 
scale  given  in  the  former  part  of  this  work ;  and  the  latter 
can  be  easily  remedied  by  training  the  shoots  in  a  curved 
direction.  Indeed,  the  principle  of  retarding  the  flow  of 
the  sap,  by  curving  or  depressing  the  shoots,  may  be  ap- 
plied with  as  much  advantage  to  the  training  of  the  sum- 
mer shoots  of  a  vine,  as  to  that  of  the  shoots  grown  in 
the  preceding  year.  For,  although,  by  training  the  sum- 
mer shoots  in  the  manner  beforementioned,  all  the  buds 
developed  will  be  fruit  buds,  and  the  number  and  size  of 
their  bunches,  be,  in  a  great  measure,  regulated  by  the 
duration  and  intensity  of  the  solar  rays  they  enjoyed 
during  their  formation ;  yet  the  number,  and  more  espe- 
cially the  size  of  the  bunches  of  fruit  produced  from  a 
bud,  can,  without  doubt,  be  further  increased  by  the  appli- 
cation of  this  principle.  If  a  summer  shoot,  therefore, 
every  time  it  is  nailed  throughout  the  season,  be  bent  or 
pointed  in  a  different  direction  to  that  in  which  it  grew  at 
the  preceding  nailing,  the  vigor  of  its  growth  will  be 
checked,  and  the  sap  will  immediately  accumulate,  and 
expend  itself  in  forming  round  short  jointed  wood,  and  in 
the  development  of  the  finest  description  of  fruit  buds. 
This  is  the  key  to  the  production  of  large  bunches  of  fruit, 
which  are  not  the  necessary  consequence  of  very  large 
sized  bearing  shoots,  but  rather  of  sap  that  has  been  accu- 
mulated, and  highly  elaborated  by  slowness  of  growth,  in 
combination  with  full  exposure  to  the  sun's  rays. 

Sufficient  has  now  been  said,  to  shew  the  principles  by 
which  the  training  of  the  summer  shoots  of  a  vine  that 
are  reserved  as  future  bearers,  must  be  regulated  through- 
out the  season.  They  are  simple,  and  of  easy  practical 
application  ;  and  it  is  evident,  that  by  conforming  to  them, 
abundant  crops  of  grapes  are  always  at  the  command  of 
the  cultivator. 


ON    THE    TRAINING    OF    VINES.  89 

Ample  details  of  the  routine  of  summer  training  being 
given  in  the  Calendarial  Register,  it  only  remains,  in 
closing  this  chapter,  to  say  a  few  words  in  reference  to 
the  nailing  of  the  shoots  to  the  wall.  Linen  or  cotton 
shreds  are  the  best  that  can  be  used  for  this  purpose  ; 
woollen  ones  being  too  thick,  and  also  too  retentive  of 
moisture.  But  if  woollen  shreds  be  used,  those  cut  from 
old  cloth  are  better  than  those  from  new,  as  the  latter 
abound  with  oil,  and  are  therefore  pernicious,  especially  to 
the  summer  shoots. 

Strength,  thinness,  and  openness  of  texture,  are  quali- 
ties necessary  to  form  a  good  shred,  and  these  will  be 
found  combined  in  a  much  greater  degree  in  linen  or 
cotton  fabrics,  than  in  those  made  of  wool.  The  shreds 
should  be  from  three  quarters  of  an  inch,  to  an  inch  and  a 
half  in  breadth,  according  to  the  size  of  the  shoot  to  be 
nailed  ;  and  they  should  be  cut  sufficiently  long  to  admit 
of  space  enough  being  left  for  the  shoots  freely  to  swell 
in,  after  they  are  encircled  by  the  shreds.  It  must  not  be 
forgotten,  that  the  covering  of  portions  of  the  branches 
with  shreds,  and  thereby  preventing  them  from  receiving 
the  benefit  of  the  sun  and  air,  is,  to  a  certain  extent,  a 
direct  injury  to  the  vegetation  of  the  vine,  and  is  only 
resorted  to  because  there  are  no  other  means  by  which 
the  branches  can  be  confined  in  their  position  on  the  wall 
so  as  to  receive  the  benefit  of  its  warmth  by  close  contact. 
Bearing  this  in  mind,  therefore,  care  should  by  taken 
never  to  use  more  shreds,  nor  any  of  a  greater  breadth, 
than  are  necessary  to  secure  the  branches  in  a  firm  and 
effectual  manner. 


90  FIRST  FIVE  YEARS'  MANAGEMENT. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

ON   THE    MANAGEMENT    OF    A    VINE    DURING    THE    FIRST    FIVE 
YEARS    OF    ITS    GROWTH. 

As  the  routine  of  practice  hereafter  given  in  the  Calen- 
darial  Register  applies  more  particularly  to  vines  that  are 
well  established,  and  in  full  bearing,  it  is  necessary  that 
some  practical  directions  should  be  given  for  the  manage- 
ment of  young  vines,  until  they  arrive  at  such  a  state  of 
growth  as  to  admit  of  their  being  subjected  to  a  regular 
course  of  pruning  and  training.  Previously,  however,  to 
doing  this,  some  observations  relative  to  the  transplanting 
of  vines  may  perhaps  not  be  unacceptable. 

The  best  time  of  the  year  to  transplant  a  vine,  is  imme- 
diately after  the  fall  of  the  leaf ;  the  longer  its  removal  is 
postponed  after  this  period,  the  later  in  the  ensuing  spring 
does  it  begin  to  vegetate.  The  ground  in  which  it  is  to 
be  planted,  must  be  prepared  agreeably  to  the  direction 
given  in  the  chapter  on  soil.  This  being  done,  dig  a  hole 
for  the  reception  of  the  vine,  about  two  feet  deep,  and  of 
the  same  width  and  length  ;  and  if,  after  the  plant  is  taken 
up,  its  roots  should  prove  too  long  for  this,  the  size  of  the 
hole  must  be  increased,  as  on  no  account  must  the  roots  be 
crippled  in  their  extension.  Loosen  the  sides  and  bottom 
of  the  hole,  and  to  the  soil  that  is  taken  out,  add  a  couple 
of  spits  of  well  rotted  dung,  and  mix  the  whole  well 
together,  making  it  very  fine.  Put  the  mould  into  the 
hole  again  to  within  nine  inches  of  the  top,  and  it  will  be 
ready  to  receive  the  vine.  This  must  be  now  carefully 
taken  up,  with  its  roots  as  entire  as  possible,  and  if  any  of 
them  be  bruised  or  in  any  way  injured,  they  must  be 
pruned  back  to  the  sound  parts  ;  fix  the  vine  in  the  hole 
with  its  stem  about  three  inches  from  the  wall,  and  let  the 
bottom  bud  be  just  even  with  the  surface  of  the  ground. 


FIRST  FIVE  YEARS'  MANAGEMENT.  91 

Spread  the  roots  out  in  a  horizontal  direction  at  equal 
distances  from  each  other,  and  in  a  similar  manner  to  the 
spokes  of  a  fan,  and  then  fill  the  hole  with  the  mould 
nearly  to  the  top.  Take  hold  of  the  stem,  and,  drawing 
it  upwards  a  little,  give  it  two  or  three  good  shakes  with 
the  hand,  that  the  mould  may  settle  well  round  the  roots  ; 
after  which,  fill  up  the  hole  with  the  remainder  of  the 
mould,  cut  the  vine  down  to  the  two  bottom  buds,  and 
the  operation  will  be  completed. 

If  the  vine  have  been  raised  in  a  pot,  the  roots  will 
most  probably  be  matted  together,  in  which  case  they  must 
be  freed  from  the  mould  by  having  it  shaken  entirely  off  ; 
and  if  any  of  them  should  have  grown  in  an  adverse  direc- 
tion, so  as  to  cross  each  other,  or  in  any  way  that  is  likely 
to  interfere  with  their  future  growth,  which  is  frequently 
the  case  with  the  roots  of  vines  raised  in  pots,  all  such 
must  be  cut  completely  out  close  to  the  part  whence  they 
have  sprung.  Also,  such  of  the  roots  as  are  very  taper 
and  long,  and  that  appear  to  have  been  over  excited  in 
their  growth,  prune  back  to  within  a  foot  of  the  stem,  or 
to  such  parts  as  appear  to  be  sufficiently  strong  and  healthy 
to  generate  new  fibres.  Transplanting  should  always  be 
done  in  dry  and  still  weather,  and  when  the  soil  works 
freely.  During  the  removal  of  a  vine,  the  roots  must  be 
carefully  kept  from  exposure  to  the  atmosphere,  the  influ- 
ence of  which  would  dry  up  their  tender  extremities  and 
cause  them  to  perish.  The  better  way  is,  never  to  take 
up  a  young  vine  about  to  be  transplanted  until  its  new 
residence  be  prepared  to  receive  it,  and  then  let  its  removal 
be  effected  as  quickly  as  possible. 

Assuming  now  that  the  vine  thus  transplanted  is  a  young 
one,  it  may  be  considered  equal  in  its  growth  to  one  raised 
from  a  layer  or  cutting  in  the  preceding  summer  ;  and  as 
ample  directions  have  already  been  given  for  the  manage- 
ment of  a  vine  during  its  first  summer's  growth,  its  future 
culture  will  be  here  taken  up  at  the  autumn  of  the  first 
year,  and  after  it  has  been  cut  down  to  the  two  lowermost 


92  FIRST  FIVE  YEARS'  MANAGEMENT. 

buds,  as  directed  in   the  chapter  on    the  propagation,  of 
vines. 

First  year.  December  1.  As  long  as  the  weather  re- 
mains open,  the  soil  round  the  roots  should  not  be  covered 
over,  but  as  soon  as  frost  comes,  a  good  covering  of  litter 
or  of  well  rotted  stable  manure  must  be  laid  over  the 
ground  as  far  as  the  roots  extend,  and  if  the  weather  be 
very  severe,  it  will  be  better  also  to  cover  over  the  stem 
to  the  depth  of  five  or  six  inches  above  the  top  of  it.  The 
young  plant  being  thus  well  protected  from  the  severity 
of  the  winter,  may  remain  in  this  state  till  the  first  of 
March. 

Second  year.  March  1.  Remove  the  covering  and 
fork  up  the  surface  of  the  ground  to  the  depth  of  two 
or  three  inches,  that  the  sun  and  air  may  freely  pene- 
trate it. 

April  1.  Keep  the  soil  round  the  roots  free  from  weeds, 
and  the  surface  of  it  loose,  either  by  raking  or  forking  it 
up  as  often  as  necessary. 

May  1.  Now  remember  that  only  a  single  shoot  is 
permanently  to  be  trained  throughout  the  summer,  the  ob- 
ject of  leaving  two  buds  in  the  previous  autumn  being  to 
provide  against  the  loss  of  a  shoot  in  case  of  any  accident. 
As  soon,  therefore,  as  the  strongest  has  grown  sufficiently 
to  be  out  of  danger  of  being  accidentally  rubbed  off,  the 
other  is  to  be  cut  out  as  hereafter  directed.  If  any  other 
shoots  have  pushed  besides  the  two  principal  ones,  rub 
them  all  off.  As  soon  as  the  shoots  have  grown  about  a 
foot  in  length,  nail  them  to  the  wall.  Do  this  very  care- 
fully, .for  they  are  as  yet  extremely  tender.  When  they 
have  grown  about  six  inches  from  the  last  nailing,  they 
must  again  be  nailed,  and  continually  kept  so,  never  suf- 
fering the  tops  of  the  shoot  to  be  blown  about  by  the 
wind.  As  the  tendrils  and  lateral  shoots  successively  ap- 
pear throughout  the  summer,  pinch  off  the  former  when 
they  have  grown  about  three  or  four  inches  in  length  and 
the  latter  to  an  inch  beyond  the  first  eye. 


FIRST  FIVE  TEAKS'  MANAGEMENT.  93 

June  1.  Throughout  this  month  and  the  two  following 
ones,  whenever  the  ground  appears  parched  through  the 
heat  of  the  weather,  give  the  roots,  once  a  day,  about  half 
a  gallon  of  soap-suds  or  dung-water.  Keep  the  'ground 
free  from  weeds,  and  the  surface  loose  and  open,  by  raking 
or  forking  it  up  once  a  week  throughout  the  summer. 

July  1.  The  young  shoots  being  firmly  united  to  the 
preceding  year's  wood,  and  therefore  past  all  danger  of 
being  broken  off  by  any  accident,  unnail  the  weakest 
shoot  of  the  two,  and  cut  it  out  close  to  the  stem,  making 
the  surface  of  the  wound  quite  smooth  and  even.  The 
remaining  shoot  must  be  kept  nailed  to  the  wall  as  before 
directed. 

November  1.  Cut  the  vine  down  to  the  two  lowermost 
buds,  and  in  the  winter,  if  the  weather  be  frosty,  cover 
the  ground  over  in  the  same  manner  as  in  the  preceding 
winter. 

Third  year.  March  1.  Remove  the  winter  covering, 
and  fork  up  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  let  the  subse- 
quent management  throughout  the  season  be  precisely  the 
same  as  in  the  preceding  summer.  If  any  fruit  be  shown, 
pinch  it  off  immediately  it  appears. 

November  1.  The  stem  of  the  vine  will  now  be  more 
than  two  inches  in  girth,  and  therefore  tico  leading  shoots 
are  to  be  permanently  retained  in  the  next  year.  For  this 
purpose,  cut  the  vine  down  now  to  the  three  lowermost  buds, 
thus  reserving,  as  before,  one  to  spare  in  case  of  accident. 
The  vine  will  then  resemble  fig.  5.  The  roots  being  now 

Fig.  5. 


sufficiently  strong  to  withstand  the  severity  of  the  weather, 
will  not  in  future  require  to  be  covered. 

Fourth  year,  March  1.     Clean  the  surface  of  the  ground 
and  fork  it  up  lightly,  and  let  the  subsequent  management 


94 


FIRST  FIVE  YEARS'  MANAGEMENT. 


throughout  the  season  be  the  same  as  before,  unless  direct- 
ed otherwise. 

May  1.  As  soon  as  the  shoots  have  attained  a  sufficient 
length,  nail  them  carefully  to  the  wall,  and  rub  off  all  oth- 
ers, if  any  should  have  pushed.  If  fruit  be  shewn,  pinch 
it  off  as  in  the  preceding  year. 

July  1.  Unnail  and  cut  out  the  weakest  of  the  three 
shoots,  and  train  the  two  remaining  ones  carefully  during 
the  remainder  of  the  season. 

September  1.     Pinch  off  the  tops  of  the  shoots. 

November  1.  As  the  girth  of  the  stem  will  not  be  less 
now  than  three  inches,  the  vine  may  be  permitted  to  ma- 
ture fruit  the  next  year,  not  exceeding  five  pounds  weight. 
For  this  purpose,  cut  down  the  two  shoots  to  the  seven 
lowest  buds  each ;  prune  away  the  remaining  portions  of 
the  tendrils  and  dead  wood  close  to  the  shoots  ;  and  cut  out 
carefully  all  the  lateral  shoots  close  to  the  base  of  the  buds, 
whence  they  have  sprung.  If  the  outer  bark  of  the  stem 
be  decayed,  peel  it  off  clean  ;  and  then  nail  the  shoots 
to  the  wall  in  a  temporary  manner. 

Fifth  year,  February  1.  As  soon  after  this  time  as  the 
weather  is  open,  cut  out  of  each  shoot  the  first,  second, 
fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth  buds ;  then  bend  the  two  shoots 
carefully  down,  and  secure  them  in  a  horizontal  position, 
similar  to  that  represented  by  the  shoots  Z  Z  fig.  6. 

Fig.  6. 


4\ 


March  1.     Clean  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  fork  it 
up  as  in  the  preceding  year. 

May  1.     Train  the  shoots  that  push  from  the  shoots  3 


FIRST  FIVE  YEARS'  MANAGEMENT. 


95 


and  7,  in  the  manner  represented  by  the  dotted  lines  1,  2, 
3,  and  4,  and  if  more  fruit  shews  than  is  equivalent  to  the 
weight  before  mentioned,  the  excess  must  be  cut  oif  when 
the  berries  are  set,  as  directed  in  the  Calendarial  Register, 
Julyl  5.  Continue  the  same  course  of  management  as  in  the 
preceding  year,  and  when  the  roots  require  watering,  they 
are  now  sufficiently  strong  to  have  applied  to  them  for  that 
purpose  any  description  of  liquid  manure  that  can  be  most 
conveniently  obtained. 

September  1.  Pinch  off  the  tops  of  the  shoots,  and  the 
sap  will  then  accumulate  in  the  buds. 

October  1.  As  soon  after  this  time  as  the  fruit  is  gath- 
ered, cut  back  the  first  and  third  shoots  to  as  many  buds 
as  may  be  deemed  necessary  to  produce  the  quantity  of 
fruit  which  the  vine  can  mature  in  the  next  year :  and  the 
second  and  fourth  shoots  to  the  lowest  bud  each.  Cut  out 
the  lateral  shoots  and  the  stumps  of  the  tendrils,  as  directed 
in  the  preceding  year,  and  peel  or  scrape  off  all  loose  and 
decayed  bark  ;  then  nail  the  shoots  temporarily  to  the  wall 
to  protect  them  throughout  the  winter. 

Sixth  year.  March  1.  Train  the  two  shoots  in  the 
manner  represented  by  S  S  fig.  7  ;  and  as  those  push  from 

Fig.  7. 


H 


96  FIRST  FIVE  YEARS'  MANAGEMENT. 

the  spurs  H  H,  train  them  also  in  a  similar  form.  Clean 
the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  fork  it  up  as  in  the  preced- 
ing year.  The  Calendarial  Register  will  now  supply  the 
details  of  the  future  management. 

The  vine  has  now  assumed  the  form  which  it  is  perma- 
nently to  retain,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  is  trained, 
may  be  considered  as  the  commencement  of  a  system  of 
alternately  fruiting  two  shoots,  and  training  two  at  full 
length  for  bearing  wood  in  the  following  year ;  which 
method  may  be  continued  every  year  without  any  altera- 
tion, until  the  capacity  of  the  vine  is  equal  to  the  matura- 
tion of  more  fruit  than  can  possibly  be  borne  by  two  single 
shoots ;  which,  on  an  average,  may  be  estimated  at  sixty 
pounds  weight  annually.  Several  years  must  elapse  be- 
fore this  will  be  the  case ;  but  when  it  is,  the  arms  may 
be  easily  lengthened  by  the  training  in  of  a  shoot  at  then- 
extremities,  and  managing  it  in  the  same  manner  as  when 
the  arms  of  the  vine  were  first  formed.  It  is  very  advisa- 
ble, however,  that  the  vine  should  not  be  suffered  to  ex- 
tend itself  further  on  the  wall ;  for  in  such  case,  the  bear- 
ing shoots  emitted  from  the  centre  are  sure  to  decline  in 
strength  :  whereas,  by  confining  the  dimensions  of  the 
vine  to  a  single  arm  on  each  side  of  the  stem,  and  each 
arm  to  the  support  and  nourishment  of  two  branches  only, 
the  very  best  description  of  bearing  shoots  never  fails  to  be 
generated  close  at  home ;  and  these,  as  the  vine  advances 
in  age,  become  prolific  almost  beyond  conception.  I  have 
often  ripened  as  many  as  seven  full-sized  bunches  of  grapes 
on  two  shoots  which  have  pushed  from  a  single  bud,  on 
vines  managed  in  this  manner.  Indeed,  those  who  have 
been  accustomed  to  permit  their  vines  to  cover  a  large 
space  of  walling,  and  to  possess  a  great  number  of  branches} 
can  scarcely  imagine  how  much  easier  a  vine  is  managed, 
and  with  what  certainty  the  fruit  is  increased  in  quantity 
and  improved  in  quality,  when  it  is  kept  within  a  small 
compass  on  the  surface  of  the  wall. 

Moreover,  there  cannot  be  the  slightest  reason  given  why 


FIRST  FIVE  YEARS'  MANAGEMENT.  97 

vines  should  be  encouraged  to  spread  over  the  extent 
of  surface  which  they  usually  do;  their  propagation  being 
so  easy,  that  a  wall  however  long  or  high,  may  be  entirely 
covered  with  fruit  and  bearing  wood  in  the  space  of  six  or 
seven  years,  provided  the  vines  are  planted  sufficiently  near 
to  each  other.  The  roots  of  vines  do  not  prejudice  each 
other  by  running  together ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  rather 
serve  to  prevent  any  redundancy  of  moisture  in  the  soil 
by  more  fully  occupying  it,  and  to  cause  the  shoots  to  be 
less  luxuriant  in  their  growth,  than  if  they  enjoyed  a  more 
extensive  range  for  food :  and  this,  without  doubt,  will  in- 
crease their  fertility. 

I  have  planted  vines  within  eighteen  inches  of  each 
other  for  the  purpose  of  speedily  filling  a  wall  ;  and  they 
thrive  and  produce  as  fine  grapes  as  if  planted  as  many 
yards  apart.  The  distance,  therefore,  at  which  vines  may 
be  planted  from  each  other,  need  have  but  little  reference 
to  the  space  which  their  roots  will  occupy  in  the  border, 
but  rather  to  the  surface  of  the  wall  on  which  the  branches 
are  to  be  trained.  A  vine  trained  as  represented  by  fig.  7, 
will  stretch  its  two  arms  about  five  feet  in  length  ;  and  if 
ten  feet  in  height  be  set  apart  for  the  shoots  to  be  trained 
on,  the  whole  surface  required  will  be  fifty  square  feet. 
Now,  the  annual  increase  in  the  girth  of  the  stem  of  a  vine 
planted  in  good  ground,  will  be  found  on  an  average,  after 
it  comes  to  be  fruited  regularly,  to  be  about  half  an  inch ; 
which  gives  an  increase  in  its  powers  of  maturation  equal 
to  five  pounds  weight  of  fruit  :  and  if  sixty  pounds  be  es- 
timated as  the  greatest  quantity  which  can  annually  be 
obtained  from  a  vine  confined  within  this  space,  it  will  ap- 
pear that  if  a  cutting  be  planted,  it  will  be  fifteen  or  sixteen 
years  before  it  can  be  expected  to  arrive  at  such  a  degree 
of  strength  as  to  be  able  to  mature  that  quantity  of  fruit. 
This  space  of  time  is  so  great,  that  it  seems  highly  desira- 
ble to  shorten  it.  And  this  is  easily  done  by  allowing  to 
each  vine  when  first  planted  no  more  than  half  this  por- 
tion of  the  surface  of  the  wall  ;  namely  :  twenty-five 


98  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER. 

square  feet  for  the  training  of  the  branches  ;  and  when  it 
has  attained  such  a  degree  of  strength  that  its  shoots  can- 
not be  kept  within  the  limits  of  that  space,  let  every  alter- 
nate vine  be  cut  out.  If  the  wall,  therefore,  be  ten  feet 
high,  plant  the  vines  two  feet  and  a  half  apart,  and  appro- 
priate to  each  vine  the  five  lower  feet  of  the  surface  and 
the  five  upper,  in  alternate  succession.  To  form  the  stems 
of  those  destined  for  the  upper  portion  of  the  wall,  instead 
of  cutting  down  the  vine  in  the  autumn  of  the  third  year 
of  its  growth  to  the  three  lowest  buds,  cut  out  all  the  buds 
on  the  shoot  to  the  height  of  five  feet  from  the  ground, 
and  select  the  three  next  buds  to  obtain  the  two  shoots  for 
the  arms.  And  if  the  wall  be  seven  or  eight  feet  high, 
plant  the  vines  about  three  feet  and  a  half  apart,  and  train 
every  alternate  one  similar  to  fig.  7,  and  the  others  in  a 
horizontal  manner,  resembling  fig.  4.  If  the  summer  shoots 
during  their  growth  interfere  with  each  other,  the  remedy 
is  easy.  From  the  flexibility  of  the  shoots  of  the  vine, 
they  can  be  trained  in  any  manner  that  convenience  may 
dictate  ;  and  the  more  they  are  bent  and  curved  about,  the 
more  fruitful  do  they  become.  It  is  this  property,  indeed, 
that  enables  the  skillful  cultivator  to  cover  the  face  of  a 
wall  with  full  crops  of  grapes  in  a  much  shorter  space  of 
time,  and  with  a  far  greater  degree  of  certainty,  than  can 
be  done  in  respect  to  any  other  description  of  fruit. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER. 

THIS  comprehends  the  practical  details  of  the  manage- 
ment* of  a  vine,  from  the  bursting  of  the  bud  to  the  fall 
of  the  leaf. 

*The  operations  directed  in  the  following  Register,  to  be  performed  on  or 
about  the  respective  days  named,  are  applicable  to  a  medium  aspect,  a  season 
moderately  favorable  to  the  culture  of  the  vine,  and  to  latitude  503C  north.  In 


WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER.  99 

April  1.  This  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  periods  of 
the  year  to  observe  the  vine.  The  plant  having  been  ap- 
parently in  a  state  of  rest  for  several  months,  now  begins 
to  awake  from  its  slumber,  and  the  buds  will  be  seen  swell- 
ing with  eagerness  to  escape  from  their  winter  habitation. 
'Examine  them  all  carefully,  to  see  if  any  are  impeded  in 
their  growth,  in  consequence  of  the  shoots  having  been 
nailed  too  closely  to  the  wall  or  otherwise.  All  such  buds 
must.be  immediately  relieved,  by  cutting  the  shreds  which 
confine  them,  or  by  putting  small  bits  of  wood,  or  other  con- 
venient things,  betwixt  the  shoots  and  the  wall,  and  thereby 
making  a  space  for  the  buds  to  swell  in.  In  dry  weather, 
fork  up  the  border  to  the  depth  of  a  couple  of  inches,  that 
it  may  be  loose  and  open,  to  receive  the  full  benefit  of  the 
sun  and  air. 

8th.  The  buds  will  now  be  sufficiently  unfolded  to 
shew  the  extremities  of  the  first  bunches  of  fruit  peeping 
out  betwixt  the  beautiful  crimson  edges  of  the  embryo 
leaves.  Look  carefully  again  over  all  the  buds,  and  if  any 
be  confined  and  have  not  sufficient  room  to  push  their 
shoots  freely,  give  them  relief  immediately. 

15th.  Some  of  the  buds  will  now  be  unfolded  two  or 
three  inches  in  length,  and  the  leaves,  as  they  increase  in 
size,  will  part  with  their  variegated  tints  and  gradually  as- 
sume their  permanent  colors.  The  small  buds  which  fre- 
quently accompany  the  principal  ones,  should  now  be 
rubbed  off. 

/22d.  Such  shoots  as  have  grown  four  or  five  inches  in 
length,  will  show  all  the  bunches  of  fruit  which  they  will 
bear  in  the  current  season.  Continue  to  examine  the 
young  shoots  to  see  if  any  of  them  are  crippled  or  ob- 

a  very  favorable  aspect,  or  season,  therefore,  or  in  a  latitude  farther  south,  the 
different  stages  in  the  growth  of  the  shoots,  &c.,  of  a  vine  as  indicated  in  the 
Register,  will  occur  a  little  earlier  ;  while,  on  the  contrary,  if  the  aspect  or 
season  be  unfavorable,  or  the  latitude  be  much  farther  north,  they  will  be  found 
to  take  place  a  few  days  later.  It  may  be  remarked,  also,  that  the  directions 
for  management  are  intended  to  be  of  general  application,  and  not  to  refer  ex- 
clusively to  a  vine  pruned  or  trained  in  any  particular  manner. 


100  WEEKLY     CALENDAR1AL    REGISTER. 

structed  in  their  growth,  and  if  so,  give  the  necessary  re- 
lief. 

29th.  If  any  small  or  secondary  buds  still  remain,  rub 
them  off  immediately,  as  they  will  now  impede  the  growth 
of  the  young  shoots.  If  weeds  begin  to  appear  in  the 
border,  hoe  them  up,  or  pull  them  with  the  hand,  and  rake 
the  surface  smooth  and  clean. 

May  6th.  The  shoots  will  now  grow  rapidly,  and  the 
bunches  of  fruit  unfold  in  quick  succession.  Continue  to 
look  over  the  former,  and  to  remove  anything  that  may 
obstruct  their  growth. 

13th.  The  shoots  will  now  be  of  sufficient  length  to 
be  nailed  to  the  wall.  With  respect  to  this  operation,  the 
rule  to  be  observed  is,  never  to  suffer  any  shoot  to  grow 
more  than  twelve  inches  without  nailing  it,  to  protect  it 
from  the  injurious  effects  of  the  wind,  arid  to  give  it  the 
benefit  of  the  warmth  of  the  wall  by  close  contact.  This 
operation  must  be  performed  very  carefully  throughout 
this  month,  as  the  young  shoots  are  extremely  tender  and 
brittle.  There  will  be  many  shoots  emitted  from  different 
parts  of  the  vine,  that  will  neither  show  fruit  nor  be  of  a 
sufficient  size  to  be  retained  as  future  bearers.  All  such 
must  be  now  rubbed  off,  unless  foliage  be  required  to  cover 
any  adjacent  bunches  of  fruit,  in  which  case  pinch  the 
tops  off  at  the  second  or  third  joint,  and  they  will  not 
then  require  to  be  nailed.  In  managing  the  vine  through- 
out the  season,  be  careful  to  observe  this  general  rule  :  that 
every  operation  in  which  the  shoots,  leaves,  or  fruit  are 
concerned,  must  be  performed  when  the  weather  is  dry, 
and  after  the  dew  is  dissipated  in  the  morning,  and  before 
it  begins  to  fall  in  the  evening. 

20th.  Nail  the  shoots  that  shew  fruit,  and  that  are  in- 
tended to  be  cut  out  at  the  next  autumnal  pruning,  suffi- 
ciently near  to  each  other,  to  cause  their  leaves,  when  they 
attain  their  full  size,  to  form  a  continued  unbroken  surface, 
which  will  be  hereafter  of  the  greatest  service  in  protect- 
ing and  maturing  the  fruit.  But  such  shoots  as  are  in- 


WEEKLY     CALENDARIAL    REGISTER.  101 

tended  to  be  trained  for  future  bearers,  must  have  as  much 
of  the  clear  surface  of  the  wall  to  themselves  as  possible, 
never  less,  indeed,  than  five  inches  on  each  side  of  every 
shoot. 

The  whole  crop  of  grapes  will  have  been  shewn  previ- 
ously to  this  time.  During  the  last  three  or  four  weeks, 
the  leafing  of  the  vine  and  the  unfolding  of  the  bunches 
of  fruit  in  rapid  succession,  will  have  presented  a  sight  of 
the  most  pleasing  and  gratifying  nature.  If  the  cultivator 
has  not  during  the  preceding  year  imposed  on  the  vine 
the  task  of  ripening  a  greater  quantity  of  fruit  than  its 
strength  would  permit,  without  encroaching  too  much  on 
its  vital  energies,  and  has  subsequently  used  the  pruning- 
knifejri  a  skillful  manner,  he  will  now  be  rewarded  with 
the  prospect  of  not  only  an  abundant,  but  most  probably, 
an  overflowing  crop.  Many  shoots  will  show  three  bunches 
of  fruit,  and  here  and  there,  on  some,  will  be  found  even 
four. 

27th.  The  shoots  will  now  push  so  rapidly  as  to  require 
almost  daily  inspection.  Nail  the  future  bearers  firmly, 
and  if  any  of  them  be  disposed  to  grow  long-jointed,  bend 
them  a  little  out  of  their  former  direction  every  time  they 
are  nailed;  this  will  soon  check  their  growth  and  ensure 
the  development  of  full-sized  fruit-buds.  Some  of  the 
strongest  shoots  will  perhaps  grow  in  an  adverse  direction 
to  the  surface  of  the  wall ;  if  so,  these  must  be  managed 
at  the  outset  with  more  than  ordinary  care.  For  the  pur- 
pose of  inducing  them  to  grow  close  to  the  wall,  provide  a 
sufficient  number  of  shreds  from  twelve  to  eighteen  inches 
in  length,  or  longer  if  required ;  and  as  soon  as  any  shoot 
which  has  thus  pushed,  has  attained  the  length  of  fifteen 
or  not  more  than  eighteen  inches,  put  a  shred,  sufficiently 
long,  carefully  round  that  part  of  it  that  is  nine  or  ten 
inches  from  the  old  wood  out  of  which  it  has  grown,  and 
drawing  it  out  of  its  natural  position  about  an  inch  towards 
the  wall,  nail  it  firmly.  In  the  course  of  two  or  three 
days  the  shoot  will  have  taken  a  direction  towards  the 


102  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER. 

wall ;  it  may  then  have  another  shred  put  round  it,  much 
shorter  than  the  first,  and  somewhat  nearer  the  extremity 
of  the  shoot.  Repeat  this  operation  two  or  three  days  af- 
terwards if  required,  and  the  shoot  will  then  grow  close  to 
the  surface  of  the  wall. 

The  tendrils  that  push  from  the  footstalks  of  the  bunches 
of  fruit,  must  now  be  pinched  off. 

•The  lateral  or  side  shoots,  also,  which  are  now  pushing 
vigorously,  must  be  pinched  off  about  an  inch  beyond  the 
first  joint,  as  soon  as  they  are  about  four  inches  in  length, 
but  such  as  are  near  any  bunches  of  fruit,  should  not  be 
thus  topped,  till  they  are  about  six  inches  in  length,  as 
their  foliage  will  then  be  of  greater  use  in  protecting  the 
fruit.  It  must  be  observed,  that  the  lateral  shoots  are  not 
on  any  account  to  be  pulled  off,  as  they  are  intimately 
connected  with  the  organization  of  the  buds  ;  being  evi- 
dently intended  to  carry  off  the  superabundant  sap  gen- 
erated at  the  joints  of  the  shoots,  and  to  return  to  them 
an  increased  portion  of  elaborated  juice. 

June  3d.  The  tendrils  will  now  grow  rapidly,  and 
must  therefore  be  attended  to  without  delay.  As  soon  as 
they  are  about  six  inches  long  pinch  them  off  to  within 
about  half  an  inch  of  the  shoots.  If  neglected,  they  will 
in  a  short  time  entwine  themselves  round  the  adjacent 
shoots,  and  cripple  them. 

Keep  the  surface  of  the  border  open,  and  free  from 
weeds,  as  before  directed. 

Now,  as  the  comparative  size  and  vigor  of  the  young 
shoots  will  be  distinctly  seen,  select  for  future  bearers  the 
largest  and  most  vigorous  shoots,  and  such  as  are  round 
and  short-jointed,  and  that  are  appropriately  situated  near- 
est to  the  stem  of  the  vine.  Nail  all  such  very  firmly  to 
the  wall ;  and  as  before  directed,  suffer  no  other  shoot  of 
any  description  to  be  trained  within  five  inches  of  any 
one  of  these.  On  the  careful  observance  of  this  point  of 
culture,  depends  the  certainty  of  the  next  year's  crop. 

This  is  the  earliest  period  that  any  part  of  the  old  wood 


WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER.  103 

of  the  vine  can  be  cut  out  without' the  risk  of  bleeding. 
If,  therefore,  too  much  of  the  preceding  year's  wood  has 
been  inadvertently  nailed  in,  or  if  any  other  cause  exist, 
that  may  render  it  necessary  to  take  off  any  of  the  princi- 
pal limbs  of  the  vine,  they  may  now  be  cut  out  with 
safety. 

10th.  As  the  shoots  will  now  be  pushing  with  the 
utmost  vigor,  all  such  as  have  fruit  on  them,  and  that  are 
not  intended  to  be  retained  for  future-  bearers,  must  be 
pinched  off  about  an  inch  beyond  the  first  joint  above  the 
last  bunch  of  fruit.  The  object  in  view  in  doing  this,  is 
to  prevent,  as  much  as  possible,  any  unnecessary  expendi- 
ture of  sap,  and  also  to  cause  it  to  flow  with  greater  force 
into  the  fruit,  and  the  future  bearing  shoots.  This  opera- 
tion being  performed,  all  nailing  will  now  cease,  except 
that  required  for  the  future  bearers.  If  any  useless  shoots 
are  to  be  found  in  any  part  of  the  vine,  rub  them  off  im- 
mediately. 

17th.  The  vegetation  of  the  vine  being  now  in  its 
highest  vigor,  daily  inspection  will  be  necessary.  The 
future  bearing  shoots  being  in  general  upwards  of  three 
feet  in  length,  and  having  full  sized  leaves,  the  wind  has 
a  proportionate  power  over  them,  and  unless  kept  firmly 
nailed  to  the  wall,  they  will  be  in  great  danger  of  being 
blown  down  and  broken  off,  if  a  high  wind  should  arise. 
To  prevent  this,  nail  them  hereafter  every  nine  inches  of 
growth,  with  strong  linen  or  cotton  shreds,  doubling  the 
edges  over,  and  driving  the  nails  with  considerable  force 
through  the  four  thicknesses.  Take  care,  also,  to  drive 
the  nails  on  each  side  of  every  shoot  in  alternate  succession, 
so  that  no  two  following  nails  shall  be  on  the  same  side  of 
any  shoot. 

24th.  The  fruit  will  now  be  in  blossom,  and  continue 
so  in  succession  till  the  latter  part  of  the  next  month. 
During  this  period,  great  care  must  be  taken  not  to  touch 
the  bunches,  lest  this  beautiful  process  of  vegetable  life 
be  thereby  marred,  and  rendered  abortive.  Keep  the  bor- 


104  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER. 

der  free  from  weeds,  and  the  surface  loose  and  open ;  and 
look  over  the  vine  daily,  as  it  will  now  be  pushing  in  every 
direction  with  the  greatest  vigor. 

The  tendrils,  also,  will  grow  with  surprising  rapidity, 
and  quickly  curl  round  and  injure  the  neighboring  foliage, 
unless  constantly  looked  after,  and  pinched  off,  as  before 
directed. 

July  1.  The  fruit  being  now  in  full  blossom,  will 
yield  a  most  delightful  fragrance.  Take  care  that  the 
bunches  are  not  handled,  nor  in  any  way  disturbed  till  the 
berries  are  set. 

The  lateral  shoots  which  were  topped  some  time  since, 
will  now  be  sending  forth  fresh  shoots  from  their  terminal 
buds.  Pinch  off  all  these  succession  shoots  just  above 
their  first  joints,  as  before  ;  and  if  any  should  hereafter 
break  again,  pinch  them  back  in  like  manner  throughout 
the  season. 

Pay  great  attention  to  the  future  bearing  shoots,  and 
nail  them  firmly,  as  directed  June  17th. 

8th.  Continue  daily  inspection,  as  the  vine  will  still 
grow  most  vigorously,  and,  if  neglected,  useless  shoots, 
laterals  and  tendrils  will  speedily  appear  in  all  parts  of  it. 
The  bunches  first  in  blossom  will  now  begin  to  have  their 
berries  set. 

15th.  Keep  the  border  clear  of  weeds,  by  hoeing  or 
forking  up  the  surface,  which  will  admit  the  sun's  rays  to 
pass  through  it,  and  thereby  warm  arid  cherish  the  surface 
roots. 

The  blossoming  being  now  nearly  over,  the  berries  will 
be  setting  in  rapid  succession.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  they 
have  all  grown  to  the  size  of  very  small  peas,  an  estimate 
must  be  made  as  near  as  possible,  of  the  weight  which 
the  whole  crop  would  ultimately  attain  if  suffered  to  re- 
main and  ripen  ;  and  the  excess,  if  any,  above  the  quanti- 
ty which  the  vine  can  mature,  agreeably  to  the  scale  given 
in  page  34,  must  be  cut  off.  This  is  a  most  important 
operation,  and  one  that  cannot  be  delayed,  without  mate- 


WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER.  105 

rially  compromising  the  health  of  the  vine.  In  some 
instances,  the  excess  perhaps  will  be  but  trifling,  while  in 
others  it  will  probably  be  very  great.  I  have  frequently 
had  young  vines  produce  from  eighty  to  a  hundred  full 
sized  bunches  of  grapes  each,  which,  if  matured,  would 
weigh  at  least  sixty  pounds  ;  while  their  individual  strength 
was  not  equal  to  the  ripening  of  more  than  a  fourth  part 
of  that  quantity.  In  such  cases,  three  bunches  out  of 
every  four,  have  been  cut  off.  In  reducing  the  number  of 
bunches,  get  rid  of  the  smallest,  and  the  ragged  and  un- 
even ones,  if  any,  and  also  all  such  as  hang  too  far  distant 
from  the  wall  to  have  the  full  benefit  of  the  warmth  and 
reflection  of  it ;  and  select  to  remain,  those  which  are 
largest  in  size  and  berry,  taking  care  that  they  be  dis- 
tributed over  the  vine  as  equally  as  possible. 

22d.  Now  that  the  bunches  have  been  reduced  to  their 
proper  number,  examine  the  vine  and  see  if  there  be  any 
vacancies  in  the  foliage,  through  which  any  of  the  bunches 
are  exposed  to  the,direct  rays  of  the  sun  :  and  if  so,  unnail 
the  adjacent  shoots,  and  re-nail  them  in  such  positions  as 
will  effectually  shade  the  fruit.  If,  however,  this  cannot 
conveniently  be  done,  put  a  long,  narrow  shred  round  the 
footstalks  of  such  bunches  as  are  thus  exposed,  and 
drawing  them  gently  aside,  nail  them  in  a  position  in 
which  the  adjacent  leaves  will  shade  them.  In  doing 
this,  take  care  not  to  twist  or  injure  the  footstalks,  nor 
draw  them  too  far  out  of  their  natural  direction,  which 
would  derange  their  functions ;  as,  through  these  very 
slender  but  beautifully  constituted  organs,  must  flow  the 
chief  part  of  the  nourishment  required  to  bring  the  fruit 
to  perfection.  Observe,  also,  that  in  no  instance  should 
there  be  more  than  the  thickness  of  one  leaf  to  shade  the 
fruit.  The  solar  rays,  being  thus  transmitted  through  the 
medium  of  the  leaves,  are  divested  of  their  scorching 
effect,  and  are  also  modified  in  such  a  manner  as  to  ope- 
rate most  beneficially  on  the  swelling  of  the  berries. 
Grapes  that  are  exposed  to  the  direct  operation  of  the 


106  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER. 

sun's  rays,  scarcely  ever  attain  their  proper  size  or  flavor ; 
while  on  the  contrary,  the  finest  and  most  highly  flavored 
fruit  will  uniformly  be  found  to  hang  in  close  contact  with 
the  wall.  The  leaves,  also,  not  only  serve  as  a  chastened 
medium  for  the  solar  rays  to  pass  through,  but  they  pre- 
vent, in  a  considerable  degree,  the  heat  from  escaping 
from  the  wall,  and  as  a  necessary  consequence,  make  the 
temperature  of  the  air  in  which  the  fruit  grows,  warmer 
than  that  of  the  atmosphere.  They  also  protect  the  fruit 
from  the  effects  of  hail,  and  from  continual  heavy  rains ; 
which,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  season,  when  it  is  ripe,  are 
advantages  that  cannot  be  too  highly  appreciated.  It  may, 
therefore,  be  considered  as  an  important,  and,  indeed,  an 
indispensable  point  of  culture,  that  all  the  fruit  of  a  vine 
ought,  from  the  moment  of  its  coming  into  blossom  till  it 
be  ripened  and  gathered,  to  be  shadpd  by  a  surface  of  con- 
tinuous single  leaves,  so  that  no  part  of  it  can  be  seen  by 
an  observer,  without  pulling  them  aside.  It  is  true  that 
the  shape  of  the  leaves  prevents  any  species  of  training 
so  disposing  them  as  to  present  one  continued  single-leaf 
surface  ;  but  though  this  point  of  perfection  cannot  be 
attained,  yet  the  nearer  you  approach  to  it,  the  better  the 
culture  will  be. 

29th.  Pay  great  attention  to  the  future  bearing  shoots, 
which  will  now  be  of  considerable  length,  and  if  not  nailed 
firmly  to  the  wall,  will  be  in  danger  of  being  blown  down, 
if  a  strong  wind  should  arise.  If  any  of  them  be  dis- 
posed to  grow  long  jointed,  curve  them  in  the  training, 
which,  by  compressing  the  sap  vessels,  will  immediately 
cause  the  sap  to  accumulate,  and  produce  short  jointed 
wood. 

Keep  laterals,  tendrils,  and  useless  shoots  of  every  de- 
scription, in  constant  check. 

The  grapes  will  now  be  as  large  as  small  peas ;  they 
must,  therefore,  be  thinned  on  the  bunches  without  loss 
of  time.  For  this  purpose  provide  a  pair  of  sharp-pointed 
scissors,  that  will  cut  well  at  the  points ;  and  at  this  first 


WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER.  107 

thinning,  commence  with  the  bunches  that  are  the  most 
forward  in  growth,  and  reduce  the  number  of  berries  full 
one  half,  cutting  out  all  the  smallest,  and  such  as  are  too 
close  together,  so  that  they  may  be  equally  distributed  on 
the  bunches. 

This  thinning  of  the  berries,  is  one  of  the  most  neces- 
sary and  most  beneficial  operations  in  the  whole  culture 
of  the  vine.  No  grapes  can  be  produced  fit  for  the  table 
without  it.  It  increases  the  size  of  the  berries,  improves 
their  flavor,  hastens  the  period  of  their  ripening,  by  pre- 
venting their  clustering,  enables  a  vine  to  mature  a  much 
greater  weight  of  fruit,  and  counteracts  in  a  considerable 
degree  those  exhausting  effects  which  the  perfecting  of  it 
would  otherwise  produce  on  the  vital  energies  of  the  plant. 
It  is  a  species  of  pruning,  indeed,  and  may  not  improperly 
be  called,  pruning  of  the  fruit,  in  contradistinction  to  the 
pruning  of  the  wood.  To  form  a  proper  estimate  of  the 
advantages  of  thinning  the  berries,  it  must  be  remembered, 
that  during  the  spring  of  the  year,  and  until  the  fruit  has 
blossomed,  and  is  fairly  set,  the  vine  has  been  emitting  its 
shoots  principally  by  the  aid  of  sap  generated  in  it  during 
the  preceding  year.  In  doing  this,  its  vital  energies  have 
not  been  taxed  in  the  slightest  degree  ;  for,  if  it  had  emit- 
ted a  hundred  shoots,  and  every  shoot  were  a  hundred  feet 
long,  the  vine  would  not  only  not  be  weakened  by  them, 
but  such  shoots  would  form  a  certain  index  to  its  increased 
strength  and  vigor,  created  by  a  corresponding  extension 
of  its  roots.  But  far  different  is  the  case,  with  respect  to 
the  production  of  the  fruit,  the  perfecting  of  which,  from 
the  exhaustion  it  occasions  to  the  vegetative  powers  of  the 
plant,  may  be  properly  designated  as  a  task.  Other  fruit 
trees  are  endowed  with  the  faculty  of  throwing  off  to  a 
considerable  extent,  any  excess  of  fruit  which  they  may 
show  at  the  commencement  of  the  season,  before  its  size 
is  such  as  to  draw  on  their  vital  energies  ;  but  no  such  fac- 
ulty is  possessed  by  the  vine.  The  absence  of  this,  there- 
fore, must  be  remedied  by  the  cultivator,  on  whose  knovvl- 


108  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER. 

edge  of  the  extent  of  the  powers  of  maturation  possessed 
by  the  vine,  depends  entirely  the  quality  of  the  crop  when 
perfected.  Now,  the  primary  object  of  every  cultivator 
must  undoubtedly  be,  to  obtain  every  year  in  succession, 
the  most  valuable  crop  possible  ;  and  the  qualities  that 
confer  value  on  a  crop  of  grapes,  are,  first,  high  flavor; 
secondly,  large  berries ;  thirdly,  large  bunches  ;  and  in 
proportion  to  the  degree  in  which  these  three  grand  requi- 
sites are  combined,  will  the  crop  become  really  valuable. 
And,  that  neither  high  flavor,  nor  large  sized  berries,  can  be 
produced  without  reducing  the  number  of  them  on  the 
bunches,  will  appear  evident  for  the  following  reasons  ;  — 
the  fruit  is  perfected  chiefly  through  the  influence  of  the 
atmosphere,  as  the  secreted  fluid  attracted  by  it  from  the 
wood,  is  comparatively  crude  in  its  nature  when  it  enters 
the  berries  :  being  then  distributed  through  the  almost  in- 
numerable vessels,  which  are  most  appropriately,  and  in- 
deed most  beautifully  arranged  just  within  the  skins  of 
the  berries,  it  there  becomes  gradually  elaborated,  by  the 
processes  of  evaporation  and  absorption,  which  are  inces- 
santly carried  on  through  the  combined  agency  of  light 
and  air,  stimulated  by  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun.  And 
in  proportion  to  the  energy  with  which  these  processes  are 
conducted,  will  the  berries  increase  in  size  and  flavor.  To 
generate  an  energetic  action  of  these  processes,  therefore, 
it  is  necessary  that  the  entire  convex  surface  of  every 
berry,  should  be  exposed  to  the  unimpeded  influence  of 
the  grand  agents  abovementioned  ;  and  this  cannot  be  ef- 
fected without  reducing  the  number  of  berries  on  each 
bunch  by  the  aid  of  scissors,  to  such  an  extent  that  they 
shall  not  touch  each  other  until  fully  ripened.  Further, 
it  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that  the  strength  of  the  vine  is 
not  put  in  requisition  in  creating  the  pulp  of  the  berries, 
but  in  perfecting  the  seed.  The  former  is  the  substance 
on  which  the  latter  feeds  ;  the  number  of  seeds,  therefore, 
which  the  vine  has  to  nourish,  constitutes  in  reality,  the 
true  measure  of  its  task.  And  to  render  the  performance 


WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER.  109 

of  this  task  as  easy  as  possible,  it  is  not  enough  that  the 
bunches  be  reduced  in  number  so  as  to  bring  the  whole 
crop  within  a  given  weight,  but  it  is  also  equally  necessary 
that  the  number  of  berries  should  be  lessened  ;  by  which 
operation,  not  only  is  great  relief  given  to  the  vital  powers 
of  the  vine  during  the  maturation  of  the  fruit,  but  the 
value  of  the  crop  becomes  thereby  doubled,  and  in  many 
instances  quadrupled,  in  consequence  of  the  extraordinary 
increase  in  the  size  and  flavor  of  the  berries. 

August  5th.  If  the  weather  be  hot  and  dry,  supply 
the  border  with  liquid  manure.  To  prevent  this  from 
being,  to  any  extent,  lost  by  evaporation,  draw  drills  about 
eighteen  inches  or  two  feet  apart,  and  a  couple  of  inches 
deep ;  and  along  these,  pour  the  manure,  holding  the  spout 
of  the  watering  pot,  with  the  nose  taken  off,  close  to  the 
bottom  of  them,  that  the  liquid  may  not  wash  the  earth 
into  a  cream-like  consistence,  in  which  case  it  would  cake 
together,  and  intercept  the  rays  of  the  sun  in  passing 
through  the  surface  to  the  roots.  When  sufficient  has  been 
poured  into  one  drill,  rake  the  earth  over  it,  and  proceed  in 
like  manner  till  the  whole  border  be  manured.  This  op- 
eration, which  should  be  done  in  the  latter  part  of  the  day, 
as  soon  as  the  sun  has  ceased  shining  on  the  border,  may, 
if  the  state  of  the  weather  require  it,  be  repeated  every 
two  or  three  days,  from  the  time  the  fruit  is  first  set,  until 
it  becomes  ripe,  and  it  will  be  found  very  beneficial  in  pro- 
moting the  swelling  of  the  berries. 

12th.  As  the  berries  are  now  rapidly  increasing  in  size, 
the  thinning  of  them  must  be  attended  to  every  seven  days, 
and  if  oftener,  the  better.  This  is  rendered  necessary,  in 
consequence  of  the  unequal  manner  in  which  they  some- 
times swell.  If  the  berries  on  any  given  bunch  be  thinned 
so  that  the  remaining  ones  are  all  equal  in  size,  it  will  gen- 
erally be  found  on  inspecting  it  five  or  six  days  afterwards, 
that  many  of  them  have  remained  in  point  of  size  station- 
ary ;  while  others  have  grown  perhaps  twice  as  large  as 
when  previously  thinned.  In  consequence  of  this,  the 


110  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER. 

bunches  require  frequent  examination,  in  order  that  all  such 
berries  as  thus  appear  by  their  inferior  size  to  have  been  de- 
prived of  their  portion  of  nourishment,  may  as  speedily  as 
possible  be  cut  out.  The  oftener  this  is  attended  to,  the 
more  rapidly  will  the  remaining  berries  increase  in  size, 
and  the  finer  will  be  their  flavor  when  ripe.  To  lay  down 
any  rule  as  to  the  number  of  berries  that  should  be  cut  out 
of  any  bunch  of  a  given  weight,  is  impracticable.  I  have 
many  times  found  that,  of  bunches  of  the  black  Hamburgh 
grape,  with  the  berries  well  set,  I  have  from  first  to  last 
cut  out  four  out  of  every  five ;  while  on  other  bunches  of 
the  same  sort,  having  their  berries  not  so  thickly  set,  the 
diminution  has  been  about  three  out  of  five,  and  sometimes 
not  more  than  two  out  of  that  number.  The  best  general 
rule  that  can  be  given  is,  that  the  berries,  during  the  whole 
period  of  their  growth  until  after  they  have  made  their  last 
swell,  must  never  be  suffered  to  cluster  or  to  press  the  sides 
of  each  other. 

19th.  Continue  to  nail  the  future  bearing  shoots  firmly, 
and  keep  in  constant  check  all  tendrils,  and  lateral  and  suc- 
cession shoots,  throughout  the  remaining  part  of  the  season. 
The  growth  of  these  will  now  begin  to  decrease  in  vigor, 
in  consequence  of  the  fluids  in  the  vessels  of  the  plant  be- 
ing partially  diverted  in  their  course  and  attracted  to  the 
fruit. 

Keep  the  border  clear  of  weeds,  and  its  surface  loose  and 
open ;  and  suffer  nothing  to  be  on  or  near  it,  that  can  in 
the  slightest  degree  intercept  the  rays  of  the  sun.  Solar 
heat  is  now  the  grand  desideratum. 

If  the  atmosphere  be  dry  and  arid,  or  if  the  weather  be 
windy,  evaporation  will  proceed  at  a  prodigious  rate  ;  and 
unless  the  nights  be  still  and  serene  and  the  dews  very  co- 
pious, the  balance  betwixt  absorption  and  evaporation  will 
be  destroyed.  To  supply  the  waste,  therefore,  that  will  be 
thus  occasioned  in  the  juices  of  the  vine  during  this  critical 
period,  let  the  foliage  and  fruit  be  now  and  then  watered 
after  sunset,  and  also  the  border,  in  addition  to  the  applica- 


WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER.  Ill 

tion  of  liquid  mature  to  the  latter,  as  before  directed.  The 
atmosphere  contiguous  to  the  vine  will  be  thereby  rendered 
humid,  and  thus  offer  a  supply  of  moisture,  which  the  fo- 
liage and  fruit  will,  quickly  and  most  advantageously  ab- 
sorb. 

The  whole  strength  of  the  vine  will  now  be  put  in  requi- 
sition by  the  daily  increasing  size  of  the  berries.  Pay 
great  attention,  therefore,  to  the  thinning  of  them,  and  use 
the  scissors  very  freely.  Remember  that  every  berry  cut 
out,  leaves  its  share  of  nourishment  to  be  divided  amongst 
the  remaining  ones.  Leave  none  but  the  largest  berries, 
and  those  as  nearly  as  you  can  at  equal  distances  from  each 
other  on  the  bunches,  bearing  in  mind  that  two  of  the 
characteristics  of  a  fine  bunch  of  grapes,  are  large  berries, 
of  equal  size. 

26.  Now,  as  the  period  of  ripening  hastens  on,  the  full 
benefit  of  the  sun's  rays  will  be  of  the  greatest,  advantage. 
Take  care,  therefore,  that  no  portion  of  the  fruit  be  shaded 
by  more  than  the  consistence  of  a  single  leaf.  If  through 
inattention  in  training  the  shoots,  the  leaves  should  be  too 
crowded  in  any  part,  the  former  must  be  loosened  from  the 
wall,  and  renailed  at  a  proper  distance  from  each  other,  as 
the  leaves  must  not  on  any  account  be  pulled  off.  Stripping 
off  the  leaves  for  the  purpose  of  exposing  the  fruit  to  the 
direct  rays  of  the  sun,  under  the  mistaken  notion  that  it 
will  thereby  ripen  earlier,  is  a  practice  that  cannot  be  too 
strongly  condemned.  The  value  of  the  leaves  in  protect- 
ing the  fruit,  has  already  been  pointed  out ;  it  is  only  neces- 
sary, therefore,  further  to  remark  that,  as  the  greater  por- 
tion of  the  secretions  of  the  plant  is  prepared  in  the  leaves, 
every  leaf  that  is  pulled  off  not  only  greatly  injures  the 
vegetation  of  the  vine,  but  the  bud  at  the  base  of  the  foot- 
stalk of  the  leaf,  by  being  deprived  of  its  principal  source 
of  nourishment,  is  crippled  in  its  growth,  and  otherwise 
seriously  injured  in  its  vitality.  Moreover,  if  a  leaf  that  is 
growing  near  to  and  on  the  same  shoot  as  a  bunch  of  fruit, 
be  pulled  off.  the  ripening  of  the  latter  will  not  only  be 


I' 

112  WEEKLY    CALEXDAR1AL    REGISTER. 

thereby  actually  retarded,  instead  of  being  hastened,  but 
the  berries  will  in  consequence  never  attain  their  proper 
size  or  flavor. 

Bloom  on  the  berries  will  begin  to  appear  about  this 
time,  in  consequence  of  which,  the  bunches  must  be  here- 
after handled  as  lightly  as  possible,  that  no  more  of  it  may 
be  rubbed  off  than  can  well  be  avoided. 

Continue  to  use  the  scissors  freely  in  thinning  the  ber- 
ries, which  must  on  no  account  be  neglected,  as  in  a  few 
days  the  operation  will  be  of  no  use.  Do  not  suppose, 
that,  by  thus  continually  reducing  the  number  of  the  ber- 
ries, the  weight  of  the  bunches  will  be  lessened,  for,  quite 
the  reverse  will  be  the  case  ;  if  the  thinning  be  judiciously 
performed,  every  bunch  will  ultimately  weigh  more  than 
it  otherwise  would  do,  were  the  whole  of  the  berries  suf- 
fered to  remain. 

The  grapes  are  now  what  is  technically  called  "  ston- 
ing ";  that  is,  the  seeds  or  stones  enclosed  in  the  berries, 
being  in  the  last  stage  of  their  growth,  are  in  the  act  of 
being  perfected  ;  which,  when  completed,  is  immediately 
followed  by  a  change  of  the  pulp  from  a  state  of  acidity 
to  one  of  a  sugary  sweetness.  During  this  process  of 
stoning,  which  lasts,  in  general,  about  twenty-eight  days, 
the  berries  appear  to  be  at  a  stand  in  their  growth,  and  do 
not  perceptibly  increase  in  size. 

September  2.  Now  pinch  off  the  extremity  of  every 
future  bearing  shoot,  about  an  inch  beyond  the  last  joint, 
and  nail  the  shoot  firmly  directly  below  that  joint.  This 
operation,  by  stopping  the  sap,  causes  it  to  accumulate  in 
the  buds,  and  hastens  the  maturation  of  the  wood.  The 
sooner  indeed,  the  future  bearers  are  thus  stopped  in  their 
growth,  the  better;  but  if  done  before  this  time,  there  is 
danger  that  the  buds  will  prematurely  burst. 

As  the  berries  are  now  about  to  make  their  last  swell, 
the  thinning  of  them  must  be  completed.  Examine  the 
bunches,  therefore,  very  carefully,  and  if  you  meet  with 
any  berries,  about  which  a  doubt  may  exist  as  to  whether 


WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER.  113 

they  ought  to  be  cut  out  or  not,  give  the  vine  in  all  such 
cases,  the  benefit  of  that  doubt,  and  cut  them  out  accord- 
ingly. Be  assured,  that  by  so  doing,  you  will  ultimately 
gain  both  in  weight  and  flavor. 

9th.  The  process  of  stoning  being  completed,  the 
grapes  will  now  begin  to  ripen.  This  will  be  first  indi- 
cated by  the  skins  of  the  berries  becoming  in  a  slight  de- 
gree transparent,  and  in  black  grapes,  also,  by  a  beautiful 
purple  tinge -appearing  on  those  that  are  most  forward. 
As  soon  as  this  change  takes  place,  no  reduction  of  the 
number  of  berries  on  a  bunch  will  increase  the  size  of  the 
remainder. 

They  should  be  finally  thinned,  therefore,  before  they 
begin  to  swell  off,  after  which,  indeed,  the  bunches  should 
never  be  handled  at  all,  except  for  the  purpose  of  cutting 
out  such  berries  as  may  from  time  to  time  be  injured  by 
insects,  birds,  or  otherwise. 

16th.  As  the  grapes  will  now  be  getting  ripe,  pretty 
generally,  all  watering  must  cease,  both  of  the  foliage  and 
the  border.  A  moist  atmosphere  is  most  favorable  to  the 
growth  of  the  berries,  from  the  period  of  their  setting,  to 
that  of  making  their  last  swell ;  after  which,  neither  the 
atmosphere  nor  the  soil,  can  well  be  too  dry. 

The  change  which  the  pulp  of  the  fruit  undergoes,  at 
the  completion  of  the  ripening  process,  is  highly  interest- 
ing. It  is  marked  in  all  bunches  that  have  been  properly 
thinned,  by  an  extraordinary  increase  in  the  size  of  the 
berries,  in  a  short  space  of  time  ;  the  natural  consequence 
of  the  sudden  expansion  of  the  pulp,  arising  partly  from 
the  seed  being  perfected,  and,  therefore,  no  longer  con- 
suming any  portion  of  it  for  its  nourishment ;  and  partly 
from  the  continued  action  of  the  solar  rays  on  the  full- 
sized  berries.  I  have  frequently  had  berries  of  the  black 
Hamburgh  sort  swell  in  size  in  the  course  of  a  few  days, 
from  a  circumference  of  two  inches  to  one  of  three,  being 
an  increase  of  one  half. 

23d.     As  the  nights  will  now  be  getting  longer  than  the 


114  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER. 

days,  the  cold  will  increase  ;  in  consequence  of  which, 
the  border  must  not  be  forked  up  any  more,  during  the  re- 
mainder of  the  season.  Keep  the  surface  of  it,  however, 
free  from  weeds,  and  from  decayed  leaves,  which  latter,  if 
suffered  to  accumulate,  will  not  only  intercept  the  rays  of 
the  sun,  but  also  serve  as  a  harbor  for  the  snails  ;  and  these 
vermin,  if  not  prevented,  will  do  great  damage  to  the  fruit, 
especially  in  showery  weather. 

As  the  grapes,  are  now  rapidly  approaching  to  maturity, 
they  will  present  a  sight  of  the  most  gratifying  description. 
The  beautiful  symmetry  of  the  berries,  the  elegant  form 
of  the  clusters,  and  the  graceful  manner  in  which  they  are 
suspended  from  the  branches,  are  in  strict  unison  with  the 
delicious  flavor  of  the  fruit,  and  challenge,  alike,  our  grate- 
ful admiration. 

30th.  Examine  the  bunches  frequently,  for  the  purpose 
of  cutting  out  injured  and  decayed  berries,  which,  if  suf- 
fered to  remain,  will  quickly  affect  all  the  adjoining  ones. 

The  fruit  will  now  most  probably  be  attacked  by  birds 
and  insects  ;  if  so,  means  must  be  used  to  protect  it.  If  a 
few  wide-mouthed  bottles  containing  sugared  beer,  be 
hung  up  in  different  parts  of  the  vine,  great  numbers  of 
wasps  and  flies  will  be  enticed  into  them  and  destroyed. 
But  if  these  insects  be  very  numerous,  this  will  only  prove 
a  partial  protection.  The  bunches  must  be  bagged,  or  the 
entire  vine  covered  with  bunting,  or  some  other  fabric  of 
a  similar  description,  and  this  will  at  the  same  time  protect 
the  fruit  from  the  attacks  of  birds. 

If  the  former  mode  be  resorted  to,  the  best  sort  of  bags 
that  can  be  used  for  that  purpose,  are  those  made  of  hair 
cloth.  The  texture  of  these,  being  open,  and  their  fabric 
stiff,  the  sides  of  them  stand  out  at  a  distance  from  the 
berries,  and  thus  a  free  circulation  of  air  is  permitted  round 
the  surface  of  the  latter,  which  has  the  effect  of  keeping 
them  dry  and  in  good  preservation.  If  hair-cloth  bags, 
however,  cannot  be  procured,  crape  bags  may  be  used  in- 
stead ;  but  it  must  be  observed,  that,  whatever  sort  may 


WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL     REGISTER.  115 

be  used,  they  must  be  taken  off  every  four  or  five  days,  in 
order  to  examine  the  bunches,  and  to  cut  out  decayed  ber- 
ries, if  any  should  appear.  It  is  necessary,  therefore,  that 
the  bags  should  be  made  large,  that  they  may  be  taken  off 
and  put  on  again  with  ease  and  facility.  If  the  bunches 
of  fruit,  however,  be  numerous,  it  will  be  much  easier,  and 
better,  indeed,  to  protect  the  vine  with  a  covering  of  bunt- 
ing, or  leno,  or  of  some  other  fabric  that  is  thin,  and  also 
open  in  its  texture.  But,  as  the  exclusion  of  air  thus  oc- 
casioned will  operate  injuriously  with  respect  to  the  keep- 
ing of  the  fruit,  if  the  covering  be  continually  kept  on,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  remove  it  every  night,  and  replace  it 
every  morning  ;  or,  if  it  be  temporarily  nailed  to  the  top 
of  the  wall,  which  is  the  better  way,  it  can  be  drawn  up 
and  let  down  again  as  circumstances  may  require.  If  this 
be  not  attended  to,  it  will  be  found  that  the  covering,  by 
excluding  the  air,  will  cause  the  fruit  to  lose  its  flavor,  and 
to  decay. 

It  must  also  be  mentioned  that  rats  and  mice  are  very 
fond  of  grapes  ;  and  that  when  they  attack  them,  they  de- 
stroy a  great  quantity  in  a  short  space  of  time.     The  visits 
of  these  vermin,  though  made  generally  in  the  dark,  may 
soon  be  detected  by  laying,  in  the  evening,  a  linen  or  other 
cloth  along  the  border  close  to  the  wall,  and  directly  under 
the  fruit ;  and  if  it  be  attacked  by  them  in  the  night,  their 
dung,  dropped  while  consuming  the  fruit,  will  invariably 
be  found  on  the  cloth  in  the  morning.     If  it  should  appear 
that  they  infest  the  fruit,  prompt  means  must  be  taken  to 
destroy  them,  for  they  travel  with  the  greatest  facility  over 
every  branch  of  the  vine,  from  one  extremity  of  it  to  the 
other,  and  will  most  assuredly,  if  not  prevented,  speedily 
devour  the  whole  crop.     Amongst  the  means  which  may 
be  resorted  to,  to  ensure  their  destruction,  may  be  employed 
with  advantage  the  laying  of  poison  on  the  branches  con- 
tiguous to  the  fruit  ;  and  also   the   setting   of  traps  well 
baited  with  fresh  toasted  cheese,  and  secured  to  the  wall 
close  to  the  main  branches  of  the  vine,  along  which  it  is 
supposed  they  go  to  commit  their  depredations. 


116  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL,    REGISTER. 

October  7.  Continue  to  remove  decayed  leaves  from 
the  border,  and  suffer  nothing  to  accumulate  on  it  that  can 
either  shade  it  or  harbor  the  snails.  If  these  are  not  pre- 
vented, they  will  soon  find  hiding-places  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  wall ;  and  in  the  night,  and  also  in  wet  weather,  will 
crawl  up  the  surface  of  it,  and  commit  great  havoc  amongst 
the  fruit.  To  prevent  this,  the  wall  should  be  carefully 
looked  over  every  three  or  four  days  ;  and  when  the  weath- 
er is  wet,  every  day  will  not  be  too  often.  A  large  shell 
snail  will  destroy  a  large  bunch  of  grapes  in  twenty-four 
hours.  This  fact  will  shew  the  necessity  of  looking  sharp- 
ly after  these  vermin. 

Take  care  not  to  cut  any  of  the  fruit  until  it  be  thor- 
oughly ripe.  This  is  so  often  done,  that  it  deserves  to  be 
mentioned  as  one  of  the  many  capital  errors  that  are  com- 
mitted almost  universally  in  the  culture  of  the  vine.  There 
is  a  certain  point  of  time  when  grapes  attain  their  highest 
degree  of  maturity  ;  but  that  is  not  when  they  first  appear 
to  be  ripe,  but  a  considerable  period  afterwards.  There 
are  so  many  circumstances,  however,  that  influence  the  ri- 
pening of  grapes  on  open  walls,  that  it  is  impossible  to  lay 
down  any  rule  for  determining  the  precise  period  when 
they  will  have  reached  their  extreme  point  of  maturity. 
The  season,  the  soil,  the  culture,  the  sort  of  grape,  and 
lastly  the  aspect  modified  as  this  is  by  a  variety  of  local 
circumstances,  either  accelerate  or  retard  the  maturity  of 
the  fruit,  as  they  combine  favorably  or  unfavorably.  It  is 
seldom,  indeed,  that  all  the  fruit  of  a  vine  becomes  ripe  at 
the  same  period  of  time.  And  it  is  worthy  of  remark  also, 
that  every  bunch  of  grapes  ripens  progressively,  beginning 
first  at  what  is  called  "  the  shoulders,"  or  that  part  next  to 
the  footstalk,  and  proceeding  downwards  to  the  extremity 
of  the  bunch.  And  so  slowly  is  this  process  carried  on  in 
backward  seasons  and  in  unfavorable  aspects,  that  there  is 
frequently  from  ten  to  fifteen  days'  difference  in  the  time 
betwixt  the  ripening  of  the  shoulders  and  the  extremity  of 
the  same  bunch  of  fruit.  And  i,f  a  vine  be  overcropped  to 


WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER.  117 

any  extent,  its  vital  energies  will  be  exhausted  before  the 
process  of  maturation  is  completed  ;  in  which  case,  the  ex- 
tremities of  the  bunches  never  ripen,  but  shrivel  and  decay. 
Without,  therefore,  venturing  to  give  any  very  specific  di- 
rections with  respect  to  the  vintage,  it  may  be  laid  down 
as  a  good  general  rule,  applicable  in  most  cases,  that  after 
the  period  when  all  the  berries  of  a  bunch  of  grapes  have 
first  become  apparently  ripe,  the  bunch  ought  to  remain  on 
the  vine  a  month  longer,  in  order  that,  by  the  continued 
action  of  the  solar  rays,  the  watery  portion  of  the  pulp 
may  be  evaporated,  and  the  sugary  portion  thereby  rela- 
tively increased. 

It  is  of  great  importance,  also,  in  gathering  the  fruit, 
that  it  be  cut  in  dry  weather,  on  the  warmest  days  that  can 
be  selected,  and  not  till  after  the  morning  dew  has  been 
entirely  dissipated.  The  juice  of  the  grapes  is  materially 
concerned  in  these  respects ;  for  if  the  weather  be  very 
damp  and  foggy  for  two  or  three  days  in  succession,  or  if 
a  heavy  rain  continue  for  twenty-four  hours,  or  longer,  the 
water  in  the  berries  will  be  considerably  increased,  and 
their  flavor  and  sweetness  proportionately  diminished. 

Such  branches  of  the  vine  as  have  no  fruit  on  them, 
should  now,  without  loss  of  time,  be  subjected  to  the  ope- 
ration of  the  pruning-knife. 

14.  In  dry  weather  examine  the  bunches  frequently, 
and  carefully  cut  out  all  decayed  berries.  Protect  the  fruit 
also  as  fast  as  it  ripens,  from  wasps,  flies,  &c. 

If  the  extremities  of  any  of  the  bunches  are  not  yet  ri- 
pened, cut  them  off  immediately,  as  the  few  berries  grow- 
ing on  them  will,  if  suffered  to  remain,  cost  the  vine  a 
greater  effort  to  mature  them,  than  three  or  four  times  the 
same  number  has,  that  are  situated  near  the  footstalks. 

21st.  Keep  the  border  clear  of  weeds;  and  as  soon  as 
decayed  leaves  appear  on  it,  remove  them  immediately,  and 
continue  so  to  do  until  all  the  fruit  be  cut. 

The  beneficial  effects  of  shading  the  fruit  with  a  con- 
tinuous surface  of  leaves,  will  now  be  distinctly  seen. 


118  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER. 

Grapes  so  protected,  will  uniformly  be  found  to  ripen  ear- 
lier, to  be  larger  in  size,  and  better  flavored,  and  to  be  cov- 
ered with  a  bloom  nearly  if  not  quite  equal  to  that  on 
grapes  ripened  under  glass.  The  leaves  will  also  be  of 
great  advantage  in  keeping  the  fruit  dry  and  warm,  and  in 
protecting  it  from  the  injurious  effects  of  heavy  rains, 
which  is  of  great  consequence ;  for  if  the  fruit  be  kept 
dry,  it  will  remain  on  the  vine  in  good  condition,  and  pre- 
serve its  flavor  for  a  long  time  yet  to  come.  But  if  it  be 
exposed  to  the  effects  of  every  rainy  day  and  night,  all  the 
previous  good  culture  will  be  lost,  and  nothing  will  prevent 
a  great  portion  of  it  from  perishing,  independently  of  the 
consideration  that  the  remainder  will  be  greatly  deteriora- 
ted in  flavor  from  the  effects  of  the  wet. 

In  gathering  the  fruit  as  it  becomes  ripe,  it  will  be  best 
to  choose,  first,  such  bunches  as  hang  within  two  feet  of 
the  ground,  the  berries  on  these  being  apt  to  rot,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  damp  exhalations  that  now  begin  to  rise 
from  it ;  and  next,  all  such  as  are  on  the  upper  part  of  the 
wall  above  six  feet  from  the  ground,  (if  the  wall  reach  that 
height)  these  being  exposed  to  the  injurious  effects  of  the 
wind  ;  thus  leaving  to  be  gathered  last,  those  bunches  that 
hang  from  two  to  six  feet  from  the  bottom  of  the  wall.  If 
the  wall  have  a  projecting  coping,  the  fruit  on  it  will  keep 
much  longer  than  on  a  wall  that  is  destitute  of  such  a 
protection. 

28th.  The  leaves  will  now  begin  to  fall  pretty  fast,  and 
where  a  good  collection  of  vines  are  planted,  the  great  va- 
riety of  tints  and  shades  of  color  of  the  leaves,  in  their 
different  stages  of  decay,  will  present  a  pleasing  object  to 
the  eye,  and  offer  to  the  mind  an  interesting  subject  of 
contemplation.  The  fine  dark  purple  red  of  the  claret 
grape  leaves,  contrast  charmingly  with  the  bright  yellow 
shades  of  the  white  sweetwater  and  the  rich  vermillion 
tints  of  the  black  muscadine. 

November  4th.  As  long  as  any  bunches  of  fruit  remain 
they  must  be  examined  every  three  or  four  days,  and  all 
decayed  berries  carefully  cut  out. 


WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER.  119 

The  wasps  and  flies  that  now  remain,  will  be  too  weak 
to  injure  the  fruit.     If  covering  the  vine  therefore,  or  bag- 
ging the  bunches  have  been  resorted  to,  to  protect  the 
fruit,  it  should  now  be  discontinued,  and  netting  substi- 
tuted in  its  stead.     Nets  offer  but  little  obstruction  to  the 
free  circulation  of  the  air,  the  benefit  of  which  will  now 
be  more   than  ever  necessary  to  keep  the  fruit  dry.     In 
putting  the   netting  on,  great  care  must  be  taken  that  the 
extremities  of  it  are  in  close  contact  with  the  wall,  and 
the  body  of  a  sufficient  distance  from  its  surface  that  the 
birds  may  be  prevented  from  getting  inside,  or  picking  the 
berries  through  the  meshes.     To  effect  this  latter  object, 
procure  some  sticks  or  bits  of  lath,  about  a  foot  in  length, 
and,  making  the  ends  smooth,  cut  a  notch  or  two  at  one 
end  of  each  of  them.     Put  the  smooth  ends  against  the 
wall,  and  the  notched  ones  against  the    netting,    which 
must  be  stretched  out  sufficiently  far  from  the  wall   to 
admit  of  the  sticks  being  perpendicular  to  the  surface  of 
it.     Place  the  cords  of  the  netting  in  the  notches,  and  the 
sticks  will  then  keep   their  position.     The  netting  will 
thus  be  in  a  strain,  and  at  a  sufficient  distance  from  the 
fruit  to  keep  it  out  of  the  reach  of  the  birds.     These  pre- 
cautions will  be  found  necessary,  as  the  delicious  flavor  of 
the  grapes  now  makes  them  an  object  of  intense  desire  to 
a  numerous  class  of  birds  that  frequent  the  garden. 

These  little  feathered  creatures  having  been  industri- 
ously engaged  during  the  preceding  part  of  the  year,  in 
rendering  the  most  important  services  to  man,  by  destroy- 
the  larva  of  a  host  of  insects  that  prove  destructive  to 
vegetation,  now  come  to  enjoy  their  share  of  the  bounties 
of  Providence  ;  and  it  would,  perhaps,  be  difficult  to  prove 
that  their  claim  is  not  as  well  founded  as  that  of  the  lords 
of  the  creation.  They  waste,  however,  and  spoil  so 
much,  in  comparison  with  what  they  really  eat,  that  no 
other  course  can  be  pursued,  than  that  of  rejecting  their 
claim  altogether.  Amongst  these  claimants  the  blue  tit- 
mouse, (torn  tit)  Parus  casruleus,  will  in  general,  be  found 


120  WEEKLY    CALENDARIAL    REGISTER. 

to  be  the  most  persevering.  This  elegant  little  bird  visits 
the  grapes  about  the  middle  of  October,  and  selects  the 
ripest  for  examination.  If  the  flavor  be  agreeable,  the 
work  of  destruction  commences ;  but  if  not,  an  interval  of 
a  week  or  ten  days  elapses,  when  a  second  examination 
takes  place,  and  the  fruit  being  then  ripe,  the  banquet  be- 
gins by  his  attacking  invariably  the  finest  grapes  on  the 
vine  and  consuming  about  the  sixth  part  of  each  berry, 
leaving  the  other  five-sixths  to  rot  and  waste.  After  this, 
he  never  ceases  to  pay  his  daily  visits  as  long  as  a  single 
bunch  remains,  and  the  slightest  chance  appears  of  a  pos- 
sibility of  getting  at  it. 

As  soon  as  any  shoots  are  divested  of  their  fruit  they 
should  be  pruned  immediately. 

llth.  Fall  of  the  leaf.  This  interesting  event  takes 
place  in  general  about  this  time.  In  well  sheltered  situa- 
tions, some  vines  will  retain  their  foliage  to  the  end  of  this 
month,  but  in  aspects  that  are  exposed  to  the  effects  of  the 
wind,  the  leaves  are  generally  shed  in  the  early  part  of  it. 

After  the  grapes  have  been  deprived  of  the  protection  of 
the  leaves,  they  begin  to  lose  both  weight  and  flavor ;  but 
if  the  aspect  be  favorable,  and  the  wall  have  a  projecting 
coping,  they  may  be  preserved  in  pretty  good  condition  a 
fortnight  or  three  weeks  longer,  after  which,  however,  no 
reliance  can  be  placed  on  the  continuance  of  their  flavor  ; 
although  in  some  instances,  when  the  weather  is  very  fa- 
vorable and  great  care  is  used  in  keeping  the  grapes  dry, 
and  in  protecting  them  by  proper  coverings  from  the  effects 
of  severe  frosts,  they  may  be  kept  on  the  vine  in  tolerable 
preservation  till  the  beginning  of  January. 

Many  methods  have  been  devised  to  preserve  grapes 
after  they  have  been  cut  from  the  vine,  but  none  that  I  am 
aware  of  have  ever  proved  very  effectual.  The  best  of 
these,  however,  will  be  found,  I  believe,  to  be  that  of  cut- 
ting off  an  entire  branch  of  the  vine  with  the  fruit  upon 
it  and  sealing  the  cut  end  with  sealing-wax,  and  then 
hanging  it  up  in  a  dry  and  warm  room,  in  which  there  is 


GENERAL    AUTUMNAL    PRUNING.  121 


a  pretty  free  circulation  of  air.  The  greater  quantity  of 
wood  that  the  branch  contains  behind  the  last  bunch  of 
fruit,  the  longer  will  the  latter  keep  ;  but  it  may  be  re- 
marked, that  with  every  precaution  that  can  be  taken,  the 
fruit  may  in  general  be  preserved  much  better  by  letting  it 
remain  on  the  vine,  and  protecting  it  by  proper  means  from 
the  severity  of  the  weather. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 


GENERAL    AUTUMNAL    PRUNING. 

MANY  reasons  of  a  decisive  nature,  point  out  the  autumn 
as  the  proper  season  for  pruning  the  vine.  When  by  judi- 
cious management  the  branches  of  a  vine  are  kept  within 
a  small  compass,  its  vegetative  powers  become  exceedingly 
vigorous ;  and  the  quantity  of  superabundant  wood  that  is 
necessary  to  be  cut  out  at  the  close  of  every  season,  being 
in  general  very  great  in  proportion  to  that  which  is  re- 
tained, the  number  of  channels  for  the  future  ascent  of 
the  sap  becomes,  after  the  general  pruning,  proportionately 
limited.  In  consequence  of  this,  the  sap  acquires  at  its 
rising,  a  corresponding  increase  of  strength  and  velocity ; 
and  unless  the  vine  be  pruned  early  in  the  autumn,  in 
order  that  the  utmost  possible  period  of  time  may  inter- 
vene, to  harden  the  extremities  and  such  other  parts  of  the 
branches  as  the  pruning-knife  has  passed  over,  previously 
to  the  ascent  of  the  sap  in  the  following  spring ;  the  sap, 
at  its  rising,  will  burst  through  the  wounds,  and  the  vine 
will  bleed  profusely  at  all  points.  To  guard  against  the 
occurrence  of  this  very  injurious  casuality,  there  is  no 
other  way  than  to  prune  at  the  earliest  period  possible  in 
the  autumn. 

The  sooner,  also,  that  the  vine  is  pruned  in  the  fall  of  the 


122  GENERAL    AUTUMNAL    PRUNING. 

year,  the  earlier  will  its  buds  unfold  in  the  ensuing  spring  ; 
the  cause  of  which  may  be  thus  explained.  The  buds,  from 
their  first  development,  are  endowed  with  the  power  of 
attracting  a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  juices  of  the  plant 
to  nourish  them  and  to  promote  their  growth.  But  this 
power,  although  it  gradually  increases  with  their  growth, 
is  held  in  subjection  throughout  the  summer,  by  a  similar 
but  superior  power  possessed  by  the  fruit,  which  in  an 
extraordinary  degree  diverts  the  fluids  of  the  plant,  and 
appropriates  them  to  its  own  growth  and  maturation.  As 
soon,  however,  as  the  fruit  is  ripened,  this  power  which  it 
previously  possessed,  becomes  nearly  extinct,  and  the  fluids 
of  the  plant  are  then  chiefly  appropriated  to  the  nourish- 
ment of  the  buds,  and  to  the  growth  of  the  roots  and 
branches.  Now,  as  the  great  effort  of  the  vine  in 
ripening  its  fruit,  is  made  either  before  the  autumnal 
equinox  or  immediately  after  it,  while  the  sap  is  yet 
moving  pretty  briskly,  if  the  vine  be  pruned  shortly  after 
that  period,  the  sap  quickly  accumulates  in  the  shoots  that 
are  retained,  and  the  buds  attracting  it  very  powerfully, 
rapidly  advance  in  their  growth  and  maturation.  They 
thus  steal  a  march,  as  it  were,  on  their  next  year's  vege- 
tation. But  if  the  vine  be  pruned  too  early,  before  the 
motion  of  the  sap  is  sufficiently  weakened  by  the  declining 
power  of  the  sun,  the  buds  then  feed  themselves  to  reple- 
tion, and  prematurely  burst.  Hence  it  follows,  that  the  most 
advantageous  period  for  the  general  pruning  of  the  vine, 
must,  undoubtedly,  be  that  point  of  time  when  the  sap 
can  be  made  to  accumulate  in  the  buds  in  such  quantity 
as  to  increase  them  to  their  utmost  possible  size,  without 
bursting  them.  And  this  point  of  time  cannot  with  safety 
be  considered  as  having  arrived  till  the  first  of  October. 
A  single  branch  of  a  moderate  sized  vine,  may  be  cut  out 
or  shortened,  as  early  as  the  middle  of  September,  but  the 
whole  vine  cannot  be  pruned,  and  its  entire  body  of  sap 
thereby  suddenly  checked  in  its  motion,  before  the  expira- 
tion of  that  month,  without  incurring  very  great  risk  of 


GENERAL  AUTUMNAL  PRUNING.  123 

bursting  the  buds,  independently,  also,  of  giving  to  the 
vital  powers  of  the  plant  an  injurious  shock,  by  performing 
such  a  severe  operation  prematurely.  As  soon,  however, 
as  the  month  of  October  commences,  and  the  fruit  is  cut, 
the  general  pruning  should  be  done,  and  the  buds,  in  con- 
sequence, increasing  in  size  by  the  accumulation  of  the 
sap,  become  thereby  endowed  with  a  greater  degree  of 
vitality,  than  they  would  otherwise  possess.  They  are 
thus  enabled  to  attract  the  sap  at  its  rising,  with  more 
power,  and  consequently  to  expand  themselves  earlier  than 
the  buds  of  a  vine  pruned  later  in  the  season ;  and  this  is 
an  advantage  not  to  be  estimated  lightly,  in  a  country 
where  the  summers  are  barely  long  enough  to  ripen  the 
fruit. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  reasons,  others  will  here- 
after incidentally  appear,  in  favor  of  early  autumnal 
pruning. 

In  giving  directions  for  the  general  pruning  of  the  vine, 
it  is  scarcely  possible  to  lay  down  any  rules  for  the  guidance 
of  the  pruner,  except  such  as  are  of  general  application. 
If  the  vine  has  been  attended  to  throughout  the  summer, 
in  the  manner  directed  in  the  preceding  Register,  there 
will  be  comparatively  little  to  do  at  the  autumnal  pruning. 
As  vines,  however,  are  managed  in  a  great  variety  of  ways, 
it  appears  necessary  to  give  such  directions  as  will  apply 
in  a  general  manner  to  any  vine,  whatever  may  have  been 
the  method  in  which  it  has  been  previously  pruned  and 
trained. 

Before  doing  this,  however,  a  few  observations  may  be 
made,  relative  to  vines  that  have  been  suffered  to  cover  a 
disproportionate  extent  of  walling,  and  which  have,  as  a 
necessary  consequence,  a  great  number  of  old,  naked  and 
barren  limbs.  Vines  of  this  description,  when  their  leaves 
are  shed,  present  a  perfect  chaos  of  useless  branches,  the 
general  appearance  of  which,  bids  defiance  to  anything 
like  systematic  pruning.  To  give  any  directions,  there- 
fore, that  can  be  practically  followed  in  the  pruning  of 


124  GENERAL    AUTUMNAL    PRUNING. 

such  vines,  is  next  to  impossible  ;  the  only  course  that  can 
be  recommended  to  be  adopted,  with  respect  to  any  vine 
that  is  in  this  state,  is  to  cut  it  down  to  a  complete  stump. 
By  doing  this,  the  fruit  will  be  only  sacrificed  for  one 
season  ;  for  the  next  year  after  this  operation  has  been  per- 
formed, the  vine  will  send  forth  an  abundant  quantity  of 
the  finest  description  of  bearing  shoots,  which  in  the  fol- 
lowing year,  will  produce  as  much  fruit,  with  only  a  tenth 
part  of  the  trouble  in  the  management  of  it,  as  could  be 
obtained  if  the  previous  course  of  culture  had  been  con- 
tinued. There  is  no  other  way,  indeed,  of  renovating  a 
vine  than  this,  for  no  method  of  pruning  that  can  be 
adopted,  will  ever  get  rid  of  the  old,  blank  wood,  and 
procure,  in  its  stead  a  proper  supply  of  bearing  wood  within 
a  reasonable  distance  of  the  stem.  Vines  that  are  cut 
down  in  this  manner,  will  frequently  produce  in  the  fol- 
lowing summer  very  fine  bearing  shoots  upwards  of  forty 
feet  long. 

When  it  is  deemed  advisable,  therefore,  to  renew  the 
branches  of  a  vine  by  thus  cutting  it  down,  the  best  time 
to  perform  the  operation  is  the  latter  part  of  the  month  of 
November.  If  the  stem  be  short,  cut  it  off  about  five 
inches  above  the  ground,  but  if  it  be  long,  leave  it  of  such 
a  height  as  it  is  intended  to  train  the  future  bearing  wood; 
remembering  that  whatever  portion  of  the  naked  stem  be 
left,  the  shoots  will  be  emitted  from  the  upper  part  of  it. 
As  soon  as  the  vine  is  cut  off,  sear  the  wound  well  with  a 
hot  iron  and  then  seal  the  surface  of  it  over  with  sealing- 
wax,  in  order  to  prevent  the  sap  at  its  rising,  from  bursting 
through. 

In  the  following  spring  a  great  number  of  buds  will 
push  near  the  top  of  the  stump,  and  these  being  allowed 
to  swell  sufficiently  to  shew  their  relative  strength,  as 
many  of  the  strongest  as  are  required  should  be  selected 
to  remain  and  all  the  rest  rubbed  off.  The  shoots  being 
carefully  trained  throughout  the  summer  will  present  in 
the  autumn  an  abundant  choice  for  future  bearers. 


GENERAL    AUTUMNAL     PRUNING.  125 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  THE  AUTUMNAL  PRUNING. 

1st.  EVERY  nail  must  be  drawn  from  the  wall  and 
every  shred  taken  off  the  branches.  This  will  give  the 
vine  great  relief,  the  shreds  having  throughout  the  sum- 
mer kept  those  parts  of  the  branches  which  they  have 
encircled,  from  the  beneficial  influence  of  the  sun  and 
air.  They  also  become  the  receptacles  of  numerous  in 
sects,  and  if  woollen  shreds  have  been  used,  they  are 
very  retentive  of  moisture,  and  if  suffered  to  remain, 
would  chill  the  juices  of  the  plant  and  thereby  retard  its 
vegetation  in  the  spring.  In  unnailing  the  branches,  care 
must  be  taken  not  to  draw  all  the  nails  at  once,  as  the  for- 
mer would  be  then  left  destitute  of  their  necessary  sup- 
port. Unnail  a  part  at  a  time,  therefore,  and  having  pruned 
that  part,  renail  it  in  a  temporary  manner,  before  any  other 
part  of  the  vine  be  pruned,  and  so  proceed  till  the  whole 
be  pruned.  Observe  that  every  nail  before  it  is  drawn, 
must  be  driven  farther  into  the  wall  by  a  good  blow  or 
two  on  its  head  with  the  hammer,  in  order  to  disengage 
it  from  the  mortar  ;  otherwise,  in  drawing  it  out,  portions 
of  the  mortar  which  adhere  to  it  would  be  drawn  with  it. 
and  the  joints  of  the  wall  would  be  thereby  defaced  and 
injured. 

2d.  Ascertain  the  girth  of  the  stem,  and  calculate  the 
quantity  of  fruit  which  the  vine  can  mature  in  the  follow- 
ing year,  agreeably  to  the  scale  given  in  page  34,  and  as- 
suming (for  the  sake  of  making  the  operation  clear)  that 
the  strength  of  the  vine  is  equal  to  the  maturation  of 
fifty  pounds  weight  of  fruit,  the  number  of  buds  that  it 
will  be  advisable  to  retain  to  produce  that  quantity,  will 
be  from  ninety  to  a  hundred.  Now  before  selecting  the 
shoots  that  are  to  contain  this  number  of  buds,  means  must 
be  taken,  to  provide  for  a  proper  supply  of  future  bearing 
wood.  For  this  purpose  choose  some  of  the  strongest  cur- 


126  GENERAL    AUTUMNAL     PRUNING. 

rent  year's  shoots  that  are  situated  nearest  to  the  stem  of 
the  vine,  and  at  appropriate  distances  from  each  other,  and 
cut  each  of  these  down  to  the  two  lowermost  buds.  The 
number  of  shoots  to.be  thus  spurred  must  not  be  less  than 
two  nor  need  they  be  more  than  six. 

Having  thus  provided  for  the  supply  of  future  bearing 
wood,  proceed  in  the  next  place,  to  select  the  shoots  that 
are  to  be  retained  as  fruit  bearers.  In  doing  this,  remem- 
ber that  good  bearing  wood  is  almost  invariably  round  and 
hard,  of  a  good  size,  and  short  jointed  with  large  promi- 
nent buds,  that  are,  in  general,  rather  round  at  their  ex- 
tremities. Bearing  these  qualities  in  mind,  choose  such 
shoots  as  answer  this  description,  and  that  are  situated 
nearest  to  the  stem,  but  sufficiently  distant  from  each  other 
to  admit  of  their  fruiting  shoots  being  conveniently  trained 
in  the  next  summer,  without  being  crowded.  Shorten 
each  shoot  to  such  part  of  it  as  is  sound  and  hard,  retain- 
ing as  many  well  ripened  buds  as  possible.  Let  the  shoots 
be  situated  in  equal  numbers  on  each  of  the  main  branches  ; 
for  instance,  if  the  vine  contain  only  two  arms,  similar  to 
figure  3  (page  83),  and  four  bearing  shoots  be  retained,  let 
two  be  situated  on  each  arm ;  also,  let  the  two  shoots  on 
one  arm  contain  the  same  number  of  buds,  or  nearly  so, 
as  the  two  on  the  other  arm.  Now,  count  the  buds  on 
each  shoot,  omitting  the  two  bottom  ones,  and  set  apart 
the  required  number  on  the  fewest  shoots  possible.  Having 
done  this,  cut  all  the  other  parts  of  the  vine  entirely  away, 
retaining  only  those  on  which  are  situated  these  bearing 
shoots  and  the  spurs  to  produce  future  bearers ;  the  main 
object  in  view,  being  to  get  rid  of  the  greatest  quantity 
possible  of  old  wood.  But  if  any  of  the  shoots  that  are 
to  be  thus  cut  away,  should  be  favorably  situated  for  the 
production  of  bearing  shoots  at  some  future  period,  leave 
on  all  such  the  lowermost  bud,  but  with  respect  to  all  the 
rest,  cut  them  out  close  to  their  respective  parent  branches. 

3d.  Cut  out  from  the  bearing  shoots  that  are  retained 
all  their  lateral  shoots  close  to  the  base  of  the  buds,  and 


GENERAL  AUTUMNAL  PRUNING.  127 

also  the  remaining  portions  of  the  tendrils  and  footstalks  of 
the  bunches  of  fruit,  (if  any)  as  well  as  all  excrescences, 
and  every  portion  of  dead  wood  that  remains  in  the  vine. 
Prune  them  all  smoothly,  close  to  their  parent  branches, 
in  a  clean  and  workmanlike  manner,  leaving  behind  no 
unsightly,  ragged  edges  or  extremities  to  disfigure  the  vine. 

4th.  If  any  part  of  the  outer  bark  of  the  stem  or 
branches  be  decayed,  which  will  be  easily  seen  by  its 
loose  and  ragged  appearance ;  peel  or  scrape  off  all  such 
parts  with  a  blunt-edged  pocket  knife,  taking  care  not  to 
wound,  or  in  any  way  injure  the  live  bark.  The  decayed 
bark,  having  lost  its  vitality,  and  with  it  its  power  of 
resisting  and  throwing  off  the  rain,  becomes  so  highly 
retentive  of  moisture,  as  to  be  almost  sopping  wet  through- 
out the  winter  months,  especially  if  several  layers  of  it 
have  been  suffered  to  accumulate.  In  this  state,  if  per- 
mitted to  remain,  it  speedily  generates  moss,  and  becomes 
also  the  receptacle  of  innumerable  insects.  It  is  contrary, 
indeed,  to  every  known  principle  of  vegetable  life,  that  a 
plant  like  the  vine,  which  is  a  native  of  a  warm  climate, 
should  ever  flourish  while  its  stem  and  branches  are  thus 
encircled  with  a  decayed  bandage,  covered  with  moss  and 
saturated  with  moisture,  which  constantly  chills  its  juices, 
and  thereby  paralyzes  the  benefical  effects  of  the  sun  and 
air,  during  a  period  of  the  year  when  they  are  of  the  last 
importance  to  the  health  of  the  plant.  The  annual  re- 
moval of  the  decayed  bark,  therefore,  may  be  regarded  as 
a  point  of  culture  that  tends  very  greatly  to  promote  the 
prosperous  vegetation  of  the  vine. 

5th.  The  barking  of  the  vine  being  finished,  the  whole 
operation  will  be  completed,  and  the  branches  must  then 
be  nailed  to  the  wall  in  a  temporary  manner.  In  doing 
this,  remember  that  the  wind  has  very  little  power  over 
the  naked  wood,  and  that,  therefore,  a  few  strong  shreds 
nailed  firmly  over  the  branches  at  proper  distances,  will  be 
sufficient  to  protect  them.  Let  the  bearing  shoots  be 
nailed  on  those  parts  of  the  wall  where  they  will  receive 


128  WINTER    MANAGEMENT. 

the  greatest  portion  of  the  sun's  rays,  without  any  regard 
to  the  situation  which  they  will  subsequently  be  made  to 
occupy  at  the  winter  training.  The  Tine,  thus  pruned, 
barked,  and  nailed,  will  be  in  readiness  to  receive  the  in- 
fluence of  the  season  at  the  earliest  period  possible,  and 
will,  throughout  the  winter,  present  a  beautiful  appearance 
of  dormant  vegetation. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 


ON  THE  WINTER  MANAGEMENT  OF  THE  VINE. 

December  1st.  The  winter  being  the  proper  time  to 
manure  the  border,  let  it  now  be  lightly  forked  up,  and  a 
good  coating  of  manure  laid  over  it  about  six  inches  deep, 
which  will  answer  the  twofold  purpose  of  enriching  the 
border  and  protecting  the  roots  of  the  vine.  It  has  been 
already  stated,  that,  after  a  vine  has  been  planted  a  few 
years,  its  roots  will  make  their  way  up  to  the  surface,  if 
the  border  be  not  disturbed  by  cropping  or  digging  ;  but  it 
is  necessary  to  observe,  that  when  they  are  so  situated, 
their  tender  fibres  will  inevitably  perish,  unless  protected 
from  severe  weather,  during  the  depth  of  the  winter.  To 
prevent  this,  therefore,  and  also  to  keep  the  roots  as  warm 
as  possible,  the  border  should  be  covered  over  through  this 
and  the  two  following  months.  For  this  purpose,  long 
stable  manure  about  half  made,  is  the  most  suitable,  as, 
from  its  spirituous  nature,  it  will  keep  the  soil  warmer,  and 
more  effectually  resist  the  frost  and  other  unfavorable  at- 
mospheric changes,  than  any  other  description  of  manure. 
If  this,  however,  cannot  conveniently  be  procured,  the 
next  best  covering  is  that  of  dead  leaves,  which,  after  they 
are  decomposed,  form  a  vegetable  manure  of  the  most  fer- 


WINTER   MANAGEMENT.  129 

tilizing  description.  But  if  these  cannot  be  obtained,  any 
of  the  manures  mentioned  as  fit  for  top  dressing  (page  57) 
may  be  substituted.  It  must  be  observed,  that,  as  the 
roots  require  to  be  kept  as  dry  as  possible  in  the  winter, 
liquid  manure  should  be  used  very  sparingly  during  that 
period. 

The  roots  being  thus  protected,  nothing  more  is  required 
to  be  done  till  the  month  of  March. 

March  1st.  If  the  season  be  forward,  the  vine  must 
now  be  permanently  trained,  but  if  otherwise,  that  opera- 
tion may  be  performed  any  time  during  the  next  fortnight. 
Observe,  however,  that  as  soon  as  the  buds  have  swelled 
sufficiently  to  burst  the  extremities  of  their  winter  cover- 
ing, the  vine  must  be  trained  immediately  ;  for,  if  delayed, 
the  buds  will  be  liable  to  be  rubbed  off,  in  bending  the 
shoots  and  nailing  them  in  their  proper  positions. 

This  is  the  proper  time,  also,  previously  to  the  vine 
being  permanently  trained  for  the  season,  to  wash  the 
wall  agreeably  to  the  directions  given  in  page  62. 

In  nailing  the  shoots  in  the  manner  directed  in  the  chap- 
ter on  Training,  use  fresh  shreds,  and  be  careful  not  to  put 
any  round  those  parts  of  the  vine  that  have  been  at  any 
previous  time  covered  with  shreds.  The  training  being 
finished,  remove  the  covering  from  the  border,  leaving  as 
much  of  it  to  remain  as  may  be  advantageously  mixed 
with  the  soil.  Fork  up  the  border,  and  mix  the  manure 
well  with  it :  after  which,  rake  the  surface  very  smooth 
and  clean. 

March  21.  As  soon  after  this  time  as  the  weather  is  dry, 
salt  the  border.  For  this  purpose  procure  a  gallon  of  salt 
for  every  square  rod,  and  scatter  it  in  the  same  manner  as 
if  it  were  seed,  distributing  it  as  equally  as  possible  over 
the  entire  border.  Then  rake  the  surface  very  lightly,  in 
order  that  the  salt  may  be  mixed  with  the  soil.  The  ap- 
plication of  salt  to  a  vine  border,  is  productive  of  the  most 
beneficial  effects.  It  prevents  the  growth  of  weeds,  de- 
stroys the  worms,  keeps  the  surface  open  and  clean,  stim- 


130  WINTER   MANAGEMENT. 

ulates  the  growth  of  the  vine,  and  ultimately  enters  largely 
into  its  constitution.  Any  substance,  indeed,  of  a  saline 
nature,  the  roots  of  vines  seize  upon  with  the  greatest 
avidity. 

If,  at  the  rising  of  the  sap,  the  vine  should  bleed  at  any 
of  the  wounds  made  by  pruning  or  otherwise,  put  a  piece 
of  moistened  bladder  round  the  wounded  part,  and  tie  it 
closely  and  firmly  with  a  strong  thread  well  waxed  wtih 
beeswax. 


DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE 

OP    TWELVE    SORTS    OF    GRAPES    MOST  SUITABLY.  ADAPTED    FOR 
CULTURE    ON   THE    OPEN    WALL. 


1.  BLACK  HAMBURGH.    Bunches  rather  large,  and  hand- 
somely shouldered.     Berries  hang  loosely  on  the  bunches, 
oval  shaped  in  general,  and  when  well  thinned,  measure 
when  ripe,  from  two  inches  and  a  half  to  three  inches  and 
a  half  in  circumference.     Skin  rather  thick,  very  nearly 
black,  and  if  well  shaded  with  leaves,  covered  with  a  beau- 
tiful blue  bloom.     Pulp  fleshy,  sweet,  and  of  a  rich  vinous 
flavor.     Ripens  in  a  south-eastern  aspect,  about  the  middle 
of  October,  and  may  be  easily  kept  on  the  vine  in  good  pre- 
servation till  Christmas.     As  a  splendid  table  fruit,  this  is, 
in  every  respect,  one  of  the  most  valuable  grapes  that  can 
be  grown  on  the  open  wall.     It  is  a  prolific  bearer,   hardy 
in  its  nature,  and  under  judicious  culture,  will  ripen  with  as 
small  a  portion  of  direct  solar  heat,  as  any  grape  we  have. 

2.  BLACK  PRINCE.     Bunches  large,  long,  and  in  general 
well  shouldered.     Berries  oval,  and  when  well  thinned, 
nearly  as  large  as  those  of  the    Black    Hamburgh.     Skin 
rather  thick,  very  dark  purple,  and  covered  with  a  thick 
blue  bloom.     Pulp  fleshy,  juicy,  and  well  flavored.     Ri- 
pens in  south-eastern  aspect  about  the  middle  of  October. 

This  is  a  very  fine  grape,  and  nearly,  if  not  quite,  equal 
to  the  black  Hamburgh. 


132  CATALOGUE    OF    GRAPES 

3.  ESPEKIONE.     Bunches  and  berries  closely  resemble 
in  size  and  shape,   the  black   Hamburgh.     Skin  nearly 
black,  and  covered  with  a  blue  bloom.     The  pulp,  which 
adheres  to  the  skin,  is  pleasant  and  well  flavored.     The 
leaves  die  upon  the  vine  of  a  rich  orange  hue. 

The  Esperione  Vine  is  very  hardy,  extremely  prolific, 
and  ripens  its  fruit  perfectly  in  any  season,  however  un- 
favorable. 

4.  BLACK  MUSCADINE.      Bunches   medium-sized,  and 
rather  long.      Berries   round.     Skin  black,  and  covered 
with  a  very  thick  blue  bloom,  which  gives  the  bunches  a 
beautiful  appearance.     Pulp  juicy,  and  when  well  ripened, 
of  a  good  flavor. 

This  is  a  very  prolific  bearer,  but  it  requires  a  good  as- 
pect to  ripen  it  perfectly. 

5.  MILLER'S  BURGUNDY.     Bunches  short,    thick,  and 
small.     Berries  small,  rather  oval,  black,  and  grow  very 
close  on  the  bunches.     Skin  rather  thin,  and  covered  with 
a  blue  bloom.     Pulp  juicy,  very  sweet,  and  high  flavored. 

This  is  a  very  hardy  and  prolific  grape,  and  ripens  per- 
fectly in  any  season.  Its  leaves,  which  are  very  thick, 
distinguish  it  from  every  other  sort,  being  covered  on  both 
sides  with  a  hoary  down,  which,  when  they  are  young,  is 
nearly  white ;  hence  it  is  called  the  Miller's  Grape. 

6.  CLARET  GRAPE.     Bunches  small  and  thick.     Ber- 
ries black,  small,  rather  oval,  and  closely  set.     Skin  rather 
thick,  and  generally  covered  with  a  blueish  bloom.     Pulp 
juicy.     Juice  of  a  blood  red  color,  but  of  a  harsh  taste  un- 
less perfectly  ripened. 

It  requires  a  good  aspect. 

This  is  a  very  fine  wine  grape.  Early  in  the  summer, 
its  leaves  change  to  a  russet  red,  and  die  in  the  autumn, 
of  a  deep  purple  blood  color. 

7.  BLACK  FRONTIGNAC.    Bunches  small.     B  erries  round, 
small,  and  thickly  set.     Skin  black,  and  covered  with  a 
light  blue  or  violet  bloom.     Pulp  juicy,  and  of  a  rich  vi- 
nous musky  flavor. 


ADAPTED    FOR    OPEN   WALLS.  133 

8.  GRIZZLY  FRONTIGNAC.    Bunches  medium-sized,  with 
small  shoulders.     Berries  round,  and  of  a  light  brown  col- 
or, intermixed  with  red  and  yellow.     The  juice  is  exceed- 
ingly rich,  and  possesses  a  high  musky  perfumed  flavor. 

9.  WHITE  FRONTIGNAC.     Bunches  long,  arid  occasion- 
ally shouldered.     Berries  round,  rather  large,  pretty  closely 
set,  of  a  dull  greenish  yellow,  and  covered  with  a  whitish 
powdery  bloom.     Pulp  juicy,  sweet,  very  rich,   with  an 
exquisite  musky  flavor. 

The  flavor  of  this  and  the  two  preceding  grapes  is  so 
extremely  delicious,  that  no  good  vine  wall  should  be 
without  them.  They  ripen  well  when  the  aspect  is  good, 
and  the  soil  very  dry. 

10.  WHITE  MUSCADINE.    Bunches  middle-sized,  shoul- 
dered, and  handsomely  formed.     Berries  round,  and  rather 
large.     Skin  thin,  arid  if  exposed  to  the  direct  rays  of  the 
sun,  acquires,  when  fully  ripe,  a   yellowish  brown  color. 
Pulp  juicy,  rich,  and  well  flavored. 

This  is  an  exceedingly  fine  grape,  and  a  prolific  bearer  ; 
and  from  its  hardy  nature,  and  the  certainty  with  which  it 
ripens  in  any  season,  it  may  be  considered  as  the  best 
white  grape  that  is  grown  on  the  open  wall. 

11.  MALMSEY    MUSCADINE.      This  resembles  the  pre- 
ceding, except  that  the  berries  are  smaller,  and  the  bunch- 
es not  so  regularly  formed  ;  but  the  juice  is  sweeter,   and 
possesses  a  higher  flavor. 

12.  WHITE  SWEETWATER.  Bunches  middle-sized.     Ber- 
ries large,  round,  and  grow  close  upon  the  bunches.     Skin 
thin,  and  when  exposed  to  the  sun,  and  fully  ripe,  pretty 
thickly  set  with  spots  of  a  light  russet  color.     Pulp  very 
juicy  and  luscious. 

This  is  a  delicious  grape,  but  owing  to  its  tenderness 
when  in  blossom,  the  berries  set  very  unevenly  on  the 
bunches. 

If  it  be  desired  to  have  a  very  early  sort,  to  the  preced- 
ing may  be  added,  the  Early  Black  July,  which,  though 
the  bunches  and  berries  are  small,  and  the  latter,  in  gen- 


134  CATALOGUE    OF    GRAPES,  &C. 

eral,  unevenly  set,  is  a  very  sweet,  and  also  a  well  flavored 
grape. 

It  would  be  easy  to  increase  this  catalogue  numerically, 
if  it  were  necessary,  but  such  a  course,  if  adopted,  would 
only  bewilder  the  cultivator,  and  render  it  a  difficult  mat- 
ter for  him  to  choose  those  sorts  which  experience  has 
proved  are  most  appropriately  adapted  for  culture  on  the 
open  wall.  The  sorts  here  enumerated  embrace  almost 
every  variation  in  flavor,  color,  and  size  of  berry,  that  can 
be  perfectly  ripened  in  the  open  air. 


H* 


UCSB   LIBRARY 


f^t 


